Brothers in Arms or How We Became Us
by ElizabethBella
Summary: New Chapter: HOME next to last . This is THE story of how Nathan & Haley & Lucas become friends, lovers & family- The 'behind the scenes' moments, betrayals, fights, make-ups, & stolen conversations that brought them together & pulled them apart
1. High School Junior Year

**Summary:** This is the love story of the new Scott Family - It starts off sort of slow, then picks up by mid-chapter one, so please stick with it! Seasons 1&2 are year 1, seasons 3&4 are year 2, etc. Plus some short summer interludes. I do my best to follow canon, so this story should feel like it is woven right out of the cloth of the show. _Naley_! So MUCH of the drama played out off-screen, so that's the meat of this.

By request, the scenes get longer after they leave high school and become real chapters.

**Disclaimer:** Not my characters, I'm just taking them out to play for a while.

* * *

**BROTHERS IN ARMS  
**

or

**HOW WE BECAME US  
**

* * *

**_July, before Junior Year_**

Nathan Scott slowed his jog down to a walk, tugging the earbuds from his ears. Across the street, a group of 8 guys were playing pickup on the River Court in the afternoon sun. Jogging back and forth, it was obvious in the first couple of seconds that none of them could contain him. _Lucas_. Didn't matter if they double- or even triple-teamed him; wherever he tossed the rock from, it found nothing but net.

But he wasn't working any patterns; especially on D. His athleticism wasn't up to the level of his ball handling. His footwork was sloppy.

_Just pissing his talent_. Nathan shook his head.

A small group sat in the stands cheering. The dark-haired girl who was the guy's constant companion clapping and laughing. It was like they all thought if was for fun. Posing for the camera.

Made his teeth hurt.

With a shrug, he resumed his run. Tucking the earbuds back in and cranking the tunes.

**_August, before the start of school_**

"Did you get it?" Haley asked, peering over Luke's shoulder at the schedule in his hand. "Did they make the change?"

"Yeah," he confirmed. "What about you?"

"Yeah, they fixed it," She grinned. "So, AP English – here we come. You know it's worth college credit?"

"You may have mentioned it once or twice."

"It's going to be a good year, isn't it?"

He gave her a quirky half-smile and she laughed, in a wonderful mood all of a sudden. As they passed the gym on the way to the near-empty parking lot, the thump-thump of basketballs echoed out.

"What are they doing? School hasn't even started and it's like, a million degrees in there," Haley protested.

Coach Durham blew a whistle and the guys dropped to the floor, panting in the heat. "Get up!" he shouted with authority. "This isn't naptime! You've got 30 seconds to hydrate and then we start again!"

The groans echoed all the way out to the sidewalk. "You got a problem with that, Jageilski?" The coach yelled.

Nathan pulled himself up and walked to the wall, where he had a power drink waiting. In the glare of the sun from outside, he saw two figures. As he got closer, he realized who they were.

Lucas recognized him in the same moment. For a second, he froze – a familiar note of disbelief tugging in him. Then he reached and tugged Haley's hand. "Let's go," he urged. "I'm dying in this heat."

"Yeah," Haley agreed absently, watching Nathan.

At the sound of her voice, Nathan turned his face a quarter inch and stared at her. Like he'd never quite seen her before.

Then Tim raced up and dumped cold water on Nathan's head. By the time Nathan was done retaliating, the two had gone.

**_September, Junior Year_**

Nathan and Tim sat at one of the outdoor tables, eating lunch.

"So it _was_ a date," Tim accused, his mouth full of roast beef sandwich.

"I'm not talking to you about it," Nathan told him, not for the first time. He took a long swallow from his water bottle.

"She's…not your usual type, dude."

"Still not talking about it," Nate repeated, thumbing through a bag of chips.

"I'm just saying, man. You're _Nathan Scott_. What are you doing with _her_?"

Nathan shook his head and sighed. "Dude, have you ever even _had_ a conversation with a girl?"

"You mean, like my mom?"

Nathan groaned and crumpled the remains of his lunch in a ball. It flew the 8 feet to the garbage can easily.

"3 points," Tim announced, tossing his own just as handily. "You know what I think? You're still doing it to get at Lucas. Big buildup, and then leave her flat for another cheerleader and your brother is left crying."

"Don't call him that," Nathan stood, angry.

"Sorry, dude," Tim quickly chased to catch up with him.

"Just keep your mouth shut about her, is all," Nathan shook his head as they walked back towards the school.

"OK, OK…"

From a table behind where they'd been sitting, Luke put down the book he was no longer reading. He watched Nathan and Tim walk away with narrowed eyes.

**_October, Junior Year_**

Nathan stood in the doorway to the diner, scanning for his girl. The beating of his heart slowed a little when he realized she wasn't there.

Keith raised a finger towards him, and he took a breath before awkwardly greeting his uncle. "Hey."

"Hey," Keith responded. "What's up?"

"Just thought Haley'd be here by now," he exhaled.

"Haven't seen her," Keith answered, taking a swallow of bad coffee.

"Nathan!" Deb called, lighting up at the sight of her son. "How are you?"

"Same as I was on Sunday, Mom," he responded, reluctantly. _God, he wished she wouldn't act as if 2 days apart was like, forever. Like she didn't remember when she'd be gone for weeks at a time. _

"Have you eaten yet? I can get you a sandwich," she offered.

Nathan shrugged in acceptance and Deb moved towards the kitchen to make him dinner. He looked around at the messy tables and realized Haley wouldn't have much time for him. _It pissed him off, sometimes, how much everyone relied on her_.

The door swung open again, and Lucas stepped in.

"It's raining?" Keith asked, as his nephew wiped the water from his face.

"Just started pouring," he confirmed.

Nate thought about Haley walking to the diner from school after her last tutoring appointment. His eyes swung to Luke's. They seemed to communicate silently for a moment.

"I'll head back…"

"No," Nathan interrupted, pulling his backpack over a shoulder. "I got it."

Lucas started to argue and then stopped himself. He stepped to the side as Nate passed.

Deb emerged from the kitchen with a plate in her hand. "Where'd he go?" She asked, looking around for her son.

Luke explained; "To pick up Haley."

Keith's eyes narrowed, wondering if the two boys even knew how attuned they were becoming to each other. Then he turned to smile at Deb blandly, and kept his thoughts to himself.

**_November, Junior Year_**

The nurse looked up at Nathan from the desk. "Can I help you?"

He kept his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. "They told me downstairs that Lucas Scott's room is around here?"

"I'm sorry, it's after visiting hours," she informed him, indicating the big clock on the wall with her chin. "Unless you're on the list?"

"The list?" he repeated, confused.

Another nurse walked up and gave Nathan a startled smile. "I know you! You're on the Ravens, right? I saw you in the paper. Oh, what's your name?"

"Nathan. Nathan Scott," he admitted.

The first nurse exchanged a glance with the newly arrived woman. "It's after hours."

"But this is his brother, Junie," she protested. "You _are_ his brother, right?"

"Yeah," Nathan answered after a long moment of thought.

"Then just follow me, I'll show you the room."

Nathan stood where he was, almost unable to move. He'd told a lot of lies in his life, but this time it was the truth that kind of didn't feel right.

Then he remembered Haley's face, and found his feet moving him after the nurse.

**_December, Junior Year_**

Nathan dropped from the window into the side yard and turned. From the sidewalk, Lucas stared at him with a funny expression.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Nathan asked in a stunned semi-whisper, nervously glancing at the house as he walked towards the street. He felt a surge of almost angry defensiveness as he looked at Luke, suddenly remembering how tweaked the guy had been over his kiss with Peyton.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Luke responded just as aggressively, pulling back the hood of his sweatshirt. "It's 6AM and you just dropped out of my best friend's window."

"It's 6AM and you're outside my _girlfriend's_ house," he countered, stepping up close to Luke and staring him in the eye.

They stared each other down as the weak sun began to creep over the horizon.

"Boys? Isn't it a little early to come calling?" Jimmy James called down from the front steps as he picked up the morning paper.

The brothers jumped at his voice. They turned in unison to look at Haley's dad. "Just out jogging, Mr. James," Lucas finally explained. "Is Haley up yet?"

"I don't know, you want me to check?"

Nathan gave him a stern look. "No, thanks," Luke called out to Jimmy. "Just tell her I stopped by?"

"We," Nathan amended, clearing his throat. "_We_ stopped by."

Jimmy nodded and ducked back into the house.

"So?" Nate finally asked.

"I was just out jogging," Lucas repeated.

Nathan shook his head and walked away towards where his car was parked down the street, "_Whatever_, " he sighed.

"Wait," Luke shouted after a moment, racing to catch up.

Nate unlocked the Mustang and slid behind the wheel. Lucas climbed in on the passenger side. "Look, I'm sorry about the other day. What I said about you and Peyton."

Nathan shrugged. "What was that all about, anyway?"

"Stuff that's been going on that has nothing to do with you, or with Haley," he rubbed his cheeks hard with his good hand, like he was trying to wake up. "I got to apologize to her, too. Everything's just been so fucked up lately."

"I hear that," Nate agreed, turning on the car. "Where am I taking you?"

"Home, if it's no trouble."

Nathan nodded. "So, you want to talk about it?"

"With you?" Luke asked, almost surprised.

"Well, I'm here," Nate pointed out, pulling up at a red light.

"Actually, I'd still rather talk about _you_ dropping out of that window. What's up with that?"

"It's nothing," Nate dismissed.

Lucas sat quietly, waiting for him to explain better than that.

After a long moment, Nathan glanced over at him. Almost shyly. "OK, look. The thing is, all my life - no matter who I was with - all I wanted at night was to get into my own bed, alone, when it was time to crash. You know? But since that night when I collapsed, I just … don't sleep well if she's not near," he admitted. "When I see her, I can finally relax because everything's…I don't know…all right. It's crazy, right?"

"It's not crazy, Nate," Lucas assured him seriously. "Haley does that for you?"

"Yeah, actually," he nodded. "She does."

"Wow," Lucas looked away, out the window.

"What?"

"Just…wow. It's for real with you two, you know?"

"You're just figuring that?"

Lucas shrugged.

"Now you tell me something," Nate demanded. "You and Haley…"

"Oh, God," Lucas interrupted. "No. _Never_."

"Eww," Nate recoiled, turning to give Luke an appalled look. "I know _that_, man. What I meant to ask is… this thing with her family. What's up with that?"

"Oh, you've noticed?"

"Hard not to. You two ever talk about it?"

"Not really. Look, as you may have guessed, I don't know much about regular families." Nathan looked uncomfortable as Luke continued, "It's always sort of just been Keith and my mom and me – and Haley. I thought it was normal that she'd spend Thanksgiving night with us, eating leftovers and playing some dorky board game my mom pulled out."

"But she's got this entire stadium of people related to her," Nate pointed out.

"Exactly," Luke agreed.

"It's just hard to figure. You know, the other night, I went to drop Haley off and the house was dark. Note on the fridge said they went to Charlotte for a 'yarn do'. What the hell's a 'yarn do'?"

"Oh, Mrs. James and her friend, Marion - have you met her?"

Nathan shook his head.

"Well, they knit. Or crochet. Stuff with yarn. Anyway, they're always going to afghan conferences and string shows."

"Oh. That actually explains a lot." Nathan had a flash of the world's ugliest poncho and tried to wipe it from his mind. "She takes it all in stride, though. That they're checked out so much."

"Look, Mr. and Mrs. James are actually pretty cool. But Haley has a lot of brothers and sisters, and I think her parents decided early on to sort of pick their battles."

"And Haley isn't one of them," Nathan nodded slowly. "The thing I've always admired with Haley? She's loyal. To people, to her responsibilities. Even when it's not fair to her, you know?" Nate asked.

"Yeah, I know," Luke echoed. "It actually kinda bugged me, once you were in the mix."

"I know the feeling," Nathan agreed, chuckling.

They fell quiet until they pulled up in front of Luke's house. He paused before getting out. "So, we OK?"

"Well, still not so sure 'bout you, but I'm fine," Nate assured him with a smile, holding up his fist.

Luke banged it with his own and got of the car, a bemused expression plastered on his face.

**_January, Junior Year_**

Nathan and Lucas were drenched in sweat as they burst into apartment. They jogged over to the fridge, pulling out a couple of sports drinks and downing them in loud gulps.

"Good workout?" Haley asked with a laugh from the stool where she'd been studying.

"Oh, yeah, excellent," Lucas groaned, still short of breath.

"You're still out of shape, old man," Nathan scoffed. He pulled his damp shirt off and leaned over to kiss Haley softly. "I'm gonna hit the shower."

She scrunched up her nose and nodded.

"You should stay," Nathan called back to Luke from the hallway. "That way I can beat your ass at NBA Live, too."

Lucas looked over at his best friend with raised eyebrows.

"Stay," she urged. "I make great delivery pizza."

He looked down at his sweaty clothes.

"I'm sure we can dig up something. You're pretty much the same size," she looked at him pleadingly.

"Yeah," he acquiesced after a moment of thought. "If it makes you happy."

"It does, Luke," she smiled.

As Dan climbed the steps to his son's apartment an hour later, he could hear the noise softly echoing out. Dan slipped into a dark spot on the landing and looked through the window, curious.

Nathan was sprawled out on the couch, with Haley and Lucas sitting on the floor with their backs against it. Nathan had a piece of pizza in one hand, and the other was reaching down, trying to screw with Lucas' controller – obviously trying to give Haley the advantage as she gripped her own controller intently, her tongue sticking out in concentration.

Something happened in the game, and all 3 jumped and shouted. Dan stepped back in surprise, watching for another long moment before turning on his heel and heading back the way he came.

"Hey, what's that?" Nathan asked, swinging his legs to the floor and peering out the window.

"Anyone there?" Haley asked, pressing buttons furiously.

"I don't see anyone…"

"Then you better get back here, your girlfriend just benched Kobe."

"What?! Hales…!" he leaped back onto the couch while Lucas laughed out loud as he scored again.

**_The morning of the first Saturday of February, Junior Year_**

"You…what?" Luke stared at Haley and Nathan, feeling all the blood drain from his face.

"We got married," Haley repeated, the ring on her hand still shining in front of his eyes.

"Uh, can you do that?" he asked, stunned.

"Obviously," Haley grinned. Then her smile faded. "Lucas, are you all right?"

"No, I'm fine. Uh, Congratulations," Lucas lifted a hand as though to reach out, and then dropped it. "Look, I have to go. Keith's waiting."

As he turned for the door, Haley and Nathan made a small shout of protest. They exchanged a look, and Haley dove back to the bedroom and tugged on a pair of jeans before racing out the door. Nathan was hot on her heels.

"Lucas!" They called.

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked up.

"Look, I was going to tell you, but…"

"I saw you _both_, last night," Lucas reminded them, a taste of betrayal on his lips. "Nate, you came and met me on the River Court! Just 3 words, man!"

"I know, I know…"

"I told him that I wanted to be the one to tell you. But then, at the cemetery…"

"I told you I was leaving," Lucas recalled. "Yeah. But it's just, Hales, I always thought that when that day happened it would be, like, a _decade_ from now! And …I'd be there. You know?"

"You still can be," Nathan interrupted. "We were supposed to have the ceremony last night when we did the paperwork but Haley's mom got delayed."

"It's this morning, at the beach. You know the spot," Haley took a step closer to him. "Please, Luke."

"I have to go, Keith's waiting," He reminded her. "I have to go."

Haley looked as though she would cry for a moment and then exhaled. "I know," she agreed. "I do, really. We have to follow our hearts."

"Yeah," Lucas agreed. He leaned up and kissed Haley gently on the cheek. Then he met Nate's eyes; "Take care of her."

"I will," Nathan promised solemnly.

"This is _crazy_, you know that – right?"

"Actually," Nathan gave him a wry expression. "We do. But that doesn't make it wrong."

"OK," he sighed, suddenly tired. "Look, I'll call. We'll talk."

"You better." Haley reached out and squeezed Luke's hand. Then he turned and walked to the Land Rover, where Keith was waiting.

Reluctantly, Haley let Nathan take her by the shoulder and lead her away. Back up to their apartment to get ready for their wedding.

**_March, Junior Year_.**

Lucas dribbled down the empty basketball court, stopping and tossing the ball.

It bounced off the backboard and onto the floor.

"That shot's still haunting you?" Whitey asked, stepping into the gym.

"Sometimes, yeah."

Whitey nodded in understanding. His steps sounding loud as he approached.

"How you doing with your list?" Luke asked, dribbling back and starting the charge again.

"Oh, Nate told you about that?" Whitey chuckled. "Actually, I was just online. Trying to figure out how to buy tickets to on the Internet. Thought I'd go down to Orlando during spring break."

"Oh, man… pre-draft training camp?" Lucas said enviously.

"No, you idiot. Disney World. I'm going to see that mouse."

Lucas stopped cold. "You mean _Mickey Mouse_, Coach?" he asked, disbelieving.

"Is that so hard to believe? Yes. My wife's family is having a reunion and they asked me, though I can't imagine why. Her favorite niece is going to be there, with her kids, and I thought…" he trailed off.

"That's nice, Coach," Lucas said seriously.

"Yeah," Coach sighed. "How is your brother?" He marveled at saying that out loud to Lucas. At having Nathan and Lucas acknowledge each other, and Dan unable to control it any more.

"He's good, why?"

Coach shrugged.

Lucas looked over at his coach, approaching with the ball under his arm. "Look, can we talk – just between us?"

Whitey nodded.

"What are their chances? I mean, I'm older than both of them and I can tell you for a fact – there's no way I'd be ready to be married." The pregnancy scare with Brooke flashed through his mind and he exhaled slowly. "And they're already going through so much stuff."

Whitey's eyes narrowed, prompting Lucas to explain.

"Just, conflicting interests and…unhelpful family," he sighed. "It all happened so fast, you know?"

"Let me tell you a story, Lucas. You ever hear of Robert Louis Stevenson?"

"Of course."

"You know that he was really sick his whole life? They didn't think he'd live to long enough to grow up. But he did, and when he was 26 he met a pretty woman named Fanny. Unfortunately, she was already married to someone else. The two fell in love immediately but they weren't the kind to live in the wrong so after they'd known each other just a couple of months, Fanny left England and went back to California -to her husband."

Whitey rubbed the back of his neck as he continued, "Robert was sickly, skinny, and poor, but he had to follow her. His family thought it was suicide and cut him off. Working his way, the trip took more than _3_ _years_ - and he got so ill at times that he almost didn't make it. But they did find each other, and they married, and they had 14 years together before he died. Robert always said that being her husband, it made those years splendid."

"No regrets," Lucas said softly.

"The truth is, some people really _do_ know they're meant to be together. Nathan and Haley are going to have a lot to overcome, marrying so young. More than other couples. But they both know a little something about hard work. And like Robert with his Fanny, I think Nathan recognized in Haley pretty quickly that all the great things he had in here," Whitey tapped his chest over his heart, "were meant to be shared with her."

Lucas nodded, slowly.

"There isn't a night that goes by that I don't dread going to bed without Camilla," he added sadly. "She was the end of my days. Watch Nathan looks at Haley, Luke. See the changes in them over the past months."

"She's the end of his days," Luke repeated, in realization.

"And how can you live apart from that?" Whitey asked.

"You can't, I guess," he answered.

"And I'll tell you another thing," Whitey continued softly.

"Yeah, Coach?"

"They DO have family in their corner. They have Keith, and they have _you_."

Lucas nodded slowly.

Whitey headed back to his office.

"Hey, Coach!" Luke called after him.

"Yes, Lucas?"

"Robert Louis Stevenson?"

"Yes," he chuckled. "Camilla's favorite."

Lucas smiled at him and then jogged back to the half court for another toss.

**_April, Junior Year_.**

"You really took the test?" Nathan challenged, holding the ball over his head.

"Yes," Lucas answered.

"And you're clean?"

"Yes!"

"OK, baskets for teams," Nathan grinned, with the sound of a 'swoosh' quickly following.

"Is this a closed court, or can anyone join?" Jake called as he approached, Peyton at his side.

"Oh, I _definitely_ got Jake," Lucas laughed, pointing.

Skillz quickly joined Tim and Nathan, and Fergie jogged over to join Lucas. Junk and Peyton climbed onto the bleachers next to Mouth.

"It's good he's back," Mouth noted to Peyton, seeing how she watched Jake.

"Yeah," she gave a slow smile and nodded.

"Hey," Haley greeted them, climbing up to sit next to Peyton.

"Hey," Peyton glanced at her, neutrally.

"Go, Lucas!" Haley cheered as Lucas stole the ball for a 3-pointer.

Nathan gave her a look and then ran the ball in, immediately jumping it for 2. He hung off the old net for a moment with a huge smile then raised his eyebrows at Haley.

"Go, Nathan!" she clapped, wildly.

"That's right!" He yelled approvingly to her, heading back down court.

The teams chuckled at them before pressing down even harder. The play picked up as they established rhythms, sweat pouring freely. The sun dipped into late afternoon as one game dragged into two. On the last point, an ancient ice cream truck turned into the drive – its bells ringing an old children's rhyme.

"C'mon," Peyton urged. "Let's treat."

Haley nodded and followed. They pulled bills form their pockets, buying a dozen assorted ice creams and carrying them back to the court. The guys fell on them like wolves.

"Hey did you get any bomb pops?" Tim asked, peering through the pile.

Junk looked at the bomb pop he'd just unraveled, looked at Tim, and then leaned in and took a big bite. Lucas couldn't help laughing as he took a Popsicle for himself and tossed another to Nathan.

The group all sat on the bleachers, turned to watch the river behind them, and ate the ice creams. The camaraderie was cool and easy like a breeze, and quiet except for the sound of the water.

Until Jake's phone rang. "That's my parents, time to pick up Jenny."

Peyton stood and joined him. "I need to stalk Michelle Branch's people one more time, anyway," she smiled. They waved as they headed off to her car.

Lucas turned to watch them leave, a strange expression on his face. Haley noticed it, and turned to catch Nathan's eye.

Lucas looked back at them. "Hey, guys, there's something I should tell you…" He looked around, at the guys all listening. "Later?"

"Sure," Nathan shrugged. "Did you hear, Taylor's is moving out?"

"Good," Lucas nodded. The three shared a look and turned back to their popsicles. Haley moved closer to her husband, his free hand reaching hers. For a moment it was like all the secrets and all the complications of life had fallen away.

"Like that morning," Nathan murmured.

"When you think, _let it always be this way_," Haley added softly.

"It's a good day," Lucas agreed.

"Yeah," Mouth agreed.

Junk and Fergie shared a look, and then shook their heads.

"Nothing like a bomb pop," Tim sighed.

And they all burst out laughing.

**_May, Junior Year_.**

"What's with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You suck, dude."

"So do you."

"Wife. No Wife. What's your excuse?"

"I'm just cutting you a break."

Nathan scoffed, faked, and dropped the rock from half court.

Lucas exhaled, and jogged over to pick up the ball.

Nathan held out his hands for it.

"Are you going to talk to me?" Lucas asked, tucking the ball under his arm.

"And say what?"

"I don't know – anything?!"

"Nothing to say, man," Nathan tugged the ball from Lucas' grip and began dribbling. Then he took a deep breath, "She made me _believe_, man. I never believed in anything more than _this_," he looked around the court. "Until her."

Lucas nodded, and didn't say anything. Accepted the pass. Made the shot and then caught the ball and headed back up to his brother.

"How could she do that? How could she give me faith and then not have any?"

"I wouldn't say that."

Nathan glared at him. "Then where is she? I gave up High Flyers. I'm here. Where's she?"

"You wanted her to have this. You saw it when no one else did, her musical talent. She never even let _me_ see it, man."

Nathan stopped and looked at him. He held the ball under his arm.

"The point wasn't for her to choose it over our marriage," Nathan said bitterly. He missed a shot, and chased after the ball.

"Is that what she's doing?" Lucas asked.

"Look around, man."

"I'm here," he reminded his brother, softly.

"Yeah," Nathan nodded, catching his brother's gaze. "Yeah."

**_June, Junior Year_**

"You don't want to know what I think!" Lucas shouted, running his hands through his short hair, jittery with anger and frustration. "Between the stuff with my mom, Nathan's mom, Nathan's accident, _Keith_, the dealership fire, and Brooke? It hasn't been a good month, Haley, and now is _not_ a good time to be playing Truth or Dare with me."

"I want to know. I _do_, Luke!"

"OK, you know what I think? I think he got his life ripped apart because he believed. I think he changed himself to be worthy of you. And you know where it got him? Chris Keller! And a Car! In a Wall! Over _you_, Hales."

"_God_, I know," she sobbed. "You're right. If I could take it all back…"

"Would you? Really…?"

"Yes!" She collapsed in sobs on his bed. Trying to cover her face. Trying not to play the sympathy card. But it was like her heart was ripped in half.

"Damn it," he sighed. "Don't you remember, at the beginning of the year? He was _everything_ _we hated_, you and I. And you know what, Haley? _We did it_. It took the both of us, but we took away everything that guy had." Lucas turned and punched the wall with his fist.

"I get sick, thinking that he was alone, that I left him."

"And then I moved into his old life," Lucas collapsed beside her on the bed. Suddenly exhausted.

"In less than a year," she realized aloud, horrified at how much he was saying was true. "How do I make it right, Luke?"

"Do you want to?"

"I do. More than I can possibly say. Every night I was performing, when I was on stage it _would_ feel great. It would feel like I guess it does when you play a great game, and everything goes right. This may not make sense, but I'd feel so close to Nathan, you know? Like I was experiencing this thing that he would understand. And then I would get off the stage, and there would be this dressing room. Empty. And I would remember, it was a lie. I wasn't experiencing it _with_ him. I was experiencing it _in spite_ of him. At the cost of this amazing thing that I cherish. And a little voice inside me got louder and louder, until it was screaming."

Luke looked at Haley helplessly. "When he found out I was still investigating Dan, it was like…utter betrayal. The same expression Keith had after his wedding, by the way." He shook his head. "Fuck," he swore.

"I'm so sorry," Haley cried, softer now.

"Me, too," Lucas told her, gathering his best friend up in his arms.

She continued to sob, with Luke's heart breaking in time with hers. Slowly, they fell onto the mattress. Exhausted and wrenched empty. The darkness settled on them, as they drifted into sleep.

"What time is it?" Lucas asked, wiping his face and peering into the night.

"2 AM, ish," she answered, her voice raw from the earlier tears.

"I should call the hospital," he said, almost to himself. "And check if Peyton's called."

"I should go sleep in your mom's room. I feel like all I'm doing is imposing, everywhere I go."

"No," he reached out his arm and held her back. "You're not imposing, Hales. Never. You're my best friend."

"But…"

"Always, Haley," He interrupted, pulling her close and kissing her forehead. "Stay."

"Nathan's at High Flyers by now. His plane landed hours ago."

Lucas exhaled. "He deserves something good for a while. Away from this."

"And when he gets back?"

"We're going to put it back together, Haley," Lucas kissed her forehead again and slipped out of the bed. "I'm going to check my messages, and grab a bottle of water. Just rest, OK?"

"OK," she nodded, resting her face onto one of the pillows. "Lucas?"

He stopped in the doorway. "Yeah, Hales?"

"Thank you," she said, almost crying again.

"I love you."

"I love you, too," she answered, gratefully.

"Look, you know you don't have to meet up with your parents," he offered. "You could spend the summer here."

"Quinn sent a ticket," she reminded him softly. "And I was thinking of rejoining the tour for a while. Without Nathan here, it doesn't feel right."

Lucas looked at her, suddenly overwhelmingly sad. "Just think about it, OK? You came home to _be_ home. I think that's important, even if Nathan isn't here."

"I'll think about it," she said, trying to appease him.

"Good," Luke flipped the hallway light and went off to make his call. Haley watched him for a moment, and then turned to her side. And hoped to find sleep.


	2. High School Senior Year

**A/N: **More of the behind the scenes moments of the Scotts - and how they became a family. Also, I **do** know that the gravestones say that Keith died in March but the continuity monkeys at our beloved OTH are not exactly famous for making sense (_Jamie's movable birthday, anyone?_). If Seasons 3 & 4 are all of senior year, than something had to give.

Thinking about doing a chapter for the missing years, and season 5 - depends on if anyone wants it. Please R/R and enjoy!!

* * *

_**July, Summer before Senior Year**_

Nathan sat in his dorm room, reading a letter. Naked except for a pair of shorts, he felt the breeze of the air conditioner and sighed in relief. Some days, it barely worked at all.

"_I was a coward…_" he read Haley's handwriting. Her weekly letter, a mixture of regret and hope. Of asking forgiveness, and offering love.

A knock on his door startled him.

"Coming!" He called, slipping the letter under a pillow. He saw her through the peephole and pulled on a shirt before tugging open the door.

She smiled.

"You're gonna get caught," he warned her with a slightly flirty grin. The girls' program dorms were on the other side of the campus.

"So let's go to the cafeteria," she smiled back.

"I'll meet you there," Nathan promised.

"I'll wait," she smiled, stepping into his room.

He gave her a steady look. She shrugged and left with a toss of her long dark hair.

She was nice, and pretty, and willing - Nathan knew. The problem was _him_. No matter how angry he'd gotten, he'd didn't seem to be able to let go of thinking of himself as married.

Nathan slipped Haley's latest letter back out from under the pillow. Looked at her distinctive handwriting and sighed. Some days he was still so angry and betrayed, he could barely breathe. Other days, he missed her so much that he found himself grinding his teeth.

He loved her. He'd never loved anyone like that before, and he knew he could go a whole lifetime and never find another love like that again.

_But that didn't mean he could picture himself trusting her again, no matter how much he tried._

He took put the letter into a small lockbox with a pile of her other letters, and a couple from his mom that had had money in them – with pleas that he call. And a postcard Lucas had sent, with the picture of main street on it – and in blue letters along the bottom; _Greetings from_ _Tree Hill, North Carolina_!

He dragged a fingertip across the glossy words and felt a pang of… _something_. Shaking his head, Nathan closed it up and pushed the drawer closed. He pressed the palm of his hand against his wedding ring through his shirt and then inhaled. Even after he dropped his arm, he could feel the circle of it against his skin.

Whether he wore it on the outside or not, he was someone's - _Haley's_ - husband. He'd said always, and forever. And he'd meant it. Even if she hadn't.

In his mind's eye, he remembered his mother admitting to her affair. Shaking his head, he tried to let it go.

Nathan followed the girl. The door closing behind him with a firm click.

_**August, Senior Year**_

Nathan looked through the window, a quizzical expression on his face. "Keith? What the hell?"

Keith leaned over and pushed the passenger door of the truck open. Nathan climbed in. "Hey."

"Seriously, man – everyone's been looking for you. How are you?"

"How are _you_?" Keith responded, seriously.

"No worries," he shrugged. "Ready for the season."

"I don't mean basketball," Keith sighed, putting the car in gear and merging into traffic. The river court faded behind them.

"Where you been, anyway?"

"Around," Keith avoided answering. "And I'm going back there, too. But I needed to talk to you, now that you're home."

"What's up?" Nathan asked, searching his uncle's profile for a clue.

"Look, I figure by now the two of us have had all of secrets that we can handle. So I thought you should know – this summer, while you were at High Flyers, your dad tried to get your emancipation canceled."

"He _what_?!" Nathan fell back against the seat in surprise.

"Yeah, uh…"Keith exhaled loudly. "Here's the thing, there's a clause in the law that states that if an emancipated minor resumes living with their family in a way that's inconsistent with being independent, then the whole thing can be rescinded."

"You're serious?" Nate rubbed his face in shock. "So this is what all that family unity shit was about? Just another of Dan's ploys? So, what? I'm under _his_ control again?"

"No, no…" Keith held up his hand. "Look, the fly in the ointment was that you got married. Unless you get that _annulled – _not_ divorced – _you stay emancipated."

"I signed annulment papers," Nathan confessed hoarsely, appalled at how his father had played him.

"Dan couldn't produce them. Until he can, you're OK."

Nathan thought for a long moment. "Keith, I'm grateful you told me all this, but…"

"How did I know?" he nodded to his nephew. "Jules – _Emily_ – told me his plan. Dan can be indiscreet, in certain circumstances. When I found out, I gave a lawyer a retainer for you." Keith fumbled in shirt pocket and produced a business card. "Here's the name. They still have the balance, because it didn't get too far. A copy of your marriage certificate was all it took."

Nathan slipped the card into his wallet. "You did this for me," he mused.

"Sometimes I feel kinda bad that I didn't get to know you better when you were growing up," his uncle admitted, glancing at him. "But we're _family_. When you emancipated yourself from Dan, you did something I wish I'd done 20 years ago. I admire you, Nathan. I know it hasn't been easy."

Nate looked out the window and didn't respond.

"Have you figured out what you're going to do now?"

"I don't know, I mean – can I live in the house?"

"You can live anywhere you want. Your independence is safe. If you want to live there, then do it. Do whatever it takes to make your own dreams come true. And don't apologize for it."

He rubbed his short, dark hair, and thought. "My mom…."

"Yeah," Keith nodded.

They fell quiet. Keith realized that he'd driven them nearly to the beach. With a sigh, he made a u-turn and started them back towards the river court.

"So other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?" Keith finally said, teasingly.

"What?" Nathan asked, confused.

"A joke," his uncle sighed. "How was High Flyers? Have you heard from anyone? Seen anyone since you got back?"

Nathan shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"It doesn't?"

"Nah. Not until I decide how I feel about it, anyway."

"It? You mean your dad? Or Luke? Or…Haley?"

"All of them, I guess. Even Tim transferred schools," Nathan scoffed. "Right now, I just want to get my game in front of the scouts. Get to Duke, and out of Tree Hill."

Keith gave him a half-smile. "One good thing you _did_ get from your father? You think about the long game. A lot of guys your age can't see that far."

"How about guys your age?" Nathan challenged.

Keith shrugged. "I'm getting there. To be honest, there was something I wanted. But at the first sign of trouble, I just…walked away without a fight. I thought being bold meant I should be impatient – they're not the same."

Nate turned and gave Keith his full attention. "No, they're not," he agreed.

The older man sighed in frustration. "The things that really matter? They're messy."

"Look, are we talking about _you_… or…?"

"Me," Keith confirmed, gently. "I'm not gonna load you up with unasked advice. Besides, you have a good head on your shoulders."

They pulled up back at the river court, and he put the car in park.

"You going to be around?"

His uncle shook his head. "Not yet. But you can always call."

"Yeah," Nate responded, a little disappointed. He opened the door, but turned before he got out. "Keith? Thanks, man."

"No problem," he smiled. "Good luck."

"You too," Nathan reached in and shook his hand. "You, too."

_**September, Senior Year**_

In a flash of regret, Nathan turned and began walking back towards the apartment building. As he approached, he could hear Haley crying. Rubbing his mouth, he considered what to do.

On the one hand, he didn't want to send her the wrong message and tell her everything was going to be all right – when he wasn't sure it ever would be. On the other hand, it broke his heart to listen to her pain.

He stopped behind a _Labor Day Sale!!_ sign and tried to decide. Then he heard his brother's voice, "Hales?"

"He wants a _divorce_," she told Lucas, her voice cracking.

"He said so?" Luke asked, not really surprised – but sad.

Nathan couldn't hear her reply, just renewed crying. Muffled, as though Luke was holding her against his chest. Soft nonsense noises, as his brother tried to soothe his wife.

"Tell me," Luke urged.

"He said he wants a divorce, what else is there to say?"

"Oh, Haley," Luke sympathized.

"It's my own fault," she said mournfully. "I just…thought I'd have the chance to be forgiven. To show him…"

"I know," Luke agreed.

Nathan looked up at the stars and took a deep breath.

"What can I do to help?"

"Nothing. I guess we have to wait a year…"

"A year from now, or a year from when you joined the tour?" Lucas asked.

There was silence, as though the whole town was waiting for the answer.

"Uh, a year from now…I think we said."

And then the little noises came back, the click of the "Walk/Do Not Walk" sign and the engines from the cars over on the highway.

"What does that _mean_?" Haley asked Luke softly.

"My brother isn't the type to say what he doesn't intend. I can't read his mind, but it sounds like he wants to give you guys as much of a chance as possible. A lot can happen in a year, Hales," he reminded her.

"Yeah," she agreed, as though hearing those words again made them more true.

"So? Have some faith," Luke urged.

Nathan nodded to himself, not quite smiling. He began walking back the way he came, before they could notice he'd been there. Echoing back, he could just barely hear Lucas telling Haley to go back to the apartment and get some sleep. And his wife agreeing, with a little more hope and a little less desperation than she'd had before.

_**October, Senior Year**_

Nathan stepped out from the bathroom, the steam escaping into the hall with him. He fixed the waistband on his shorts but left off his shirt, his skin still damp from his shower.

"Whoa," he stepped back, realizing he wasn't alone.

Lucas held a finger up to his lips. "Shhh," he indicated where Brooke slept on the couch with a nod of his head.

Nathan nodded, and opened the fridge. He found a near-empty carton of orange juice and finished it in a couple of loud gulps.

"So does this mean…"

Nathan shrugged. "Day at a time, man."

Lucas nodded. He looked at the wedding ring hanging from his brother's neck. And the bright white scar on his gut. Now that he wasn't quite as pissed as he had been, Lucas remembered all the wounds his brother was carrying. And winced.

He turned and set the timer on the coffee maker, so it would brew for Haley and Brooke before they had to leave for school.

"You need a ride to practice?" Nathan asked, pulling on his shirt.

"Yeah, actually," Luke grabbed his book bag and they quietly left the apartment – making sure the door locked behind them.

"Tell me you're gonna be ready for the Classic," Nathan instructed as they got into his car. "Because, man, you're still playing like ass."

"I know," Luke admitted. "But I'm trying, man."

"Try harder," Nate urged. "You're the one who gave me the speech about all the guys depending on us. I'm not the one letting them down."

"The tournament's early this year," Lucas grumbled.

"So another month or two would make all the difference?" he scoffed. "I don't buy it."

"Says the guy who trained 24/7 this summer," Luke mocked.

They fell into an uncomfortable silence. Every subject seemed full of conversational land mines.

"So…have you talked to Keith since he got back?" Luke finally offered, a small olive branch.

"Uh, actually," his brother admitted, "Before that."

Luke felt a sharp jab of pain, of _envy_. "What do you mean?"

"He helped me out last summer with some stuff."

"But…" Lucas trailed off, unsure how to react.

"Sucks to have the shoe on the other foot, doesn't it?" Nate demanded, glancing at him. "To have a stranger suddenly in your world and you frozen out?"

"That's not…" Luke took a deep breath.

His brother stayed silent, negotiating the early morning traffic to the old gym.

"You know what sucks the most about what you just said?" Lucas asked.

"What, that it's true?"

"No. You're full of shit on that. But you just called me a _stranger_."

Nate thought about it a moment. "You know, we tried to avoid it but the plain truth is - we've seen each other play since we were kids. So that's where I most feel like I know you, on the court. And lately, you're not _you_, man. It's like - I can't read you at all. Every move you make is _tired_. You're not the guy I need. Not the teammate. Not the brother."

"I know," Luke confessed, sincerely. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Nate instructed as he parked the car. "Be _better_."

"Yeah," Luke promised. "OK."

_**November, Senior Year**_

The bell over the door rang as they pushed into the diner.

Nathan looked up from the booth where he'd been waiting for them. A wan smile on his face. "Hey," he reached out his hand, and Haley took it.

Lucas slid into the booth across from them. He reached for Nate's water glass and took a few sips.

"The gravestone was delivered like they promised," Haley told her husband. "It looks good."

Lucas gave a bitter smile at the word 'good'.

"How's Karen?" Nathan asked.

"The same," Luke sighed. "Locked in her room."

"Is she gonna be OK with us going to this thing at Rachel's this weekend?"

"I don't know," he looked away. "I still don't know if I should go. It's barely been what..."

"10 days," Nathan noted, carefully. "She's grieving."

"They were gonna get married," Lucas said, his voice hoarse. "When I was growing up, it was the thing I prayed for more than _anything_." Luke's eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

Haley reached across the table with her free hand and gripped Luke's. Their fingers entwined, her other hand gripped tightly by her husband. The three sat, linked - and yet, broken. Quiet in the bustle of the restaurant.

Two waitresses stood behind the counter, watching. "You get their order?" One asked.

"Give 'em a minute," the other urged.

"These families that walk over from the cemetery," the first one observed. "Order nothing and tip lousy. We're not a church, you know."

"Give 'em a minute," the other one repeated, almost in a whisper. "I think it's those kids, from the school."

"Oh," said the first. "Oh, yeah. That was _awful_."

Across the room, the three sat next the window. Oblivious to the conversations about them and around them; united in their sorrow.

_**December, Senior Year**_

"Good news, Tutor Bride!" Brooke floated into the apartment with a big smile.

"What?" Haley looked up from her textbooks, exhausted.

"I heard next weekend's forecast on the way over, it supposed to be 75 degrees on your re-wedding day!" She clapped with glee, as though she had arranged the whole thing. "I'm telling you, this global warming thing has its upside!"

Nathan exited the bedroom and stopped. The circles under his wife's eyes told him the story loud and clear.

"Go home, Brooke," Nathan instructed. "Or wherever it is you're living when you're not here – which is all the time, lately."

Brooke's eyes darted to his, they traded looks. She nodded, "I have bridal things to arrange, anyway."

He tossed her a grateful look as she exited.

"Hey."

"Hey," Haley responded. "What were we thinking? Getting married just before finals and the holidays? This is crazy, Nathan. There's no way everything is going to get done," a few tears of frustration slipped from her eyes.

Nathan leaned over and closed her book, pulling it from her numb fingers. Then he reached under her and lifted his wife into his arms.

"Nathan!" Haley protested.

"Shhh," he instructed, carrying her to their bed and gently putting her on it. He curled up next to her, pulling the sheets up.

"I though we said…"

"Haley," Nate interrupted. "Seriously. You've lost weight since Keith died. And you haven't been sleeping well. I'm beginning to agree that this wedding idea was too much." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, as they lay facing each other in bed.

She sighed, feeling her husband's hand on her neck. His thumb tracing her jaw.

"This was supposed to be _happy _thing, Hales. A celebration. You don't look happy."

"I'm happy," she promised him. "Marrying you, again. That makes me happy."

His finger traced her cheek, the outside of her ear.

"Hey," she warned. "Remember our deal?"

He looked into her eyes. "That first night, do you remember…?"

"_Which_ first night?" Haley asked, a sly grin tugging her lips.

"The one after the wedding," Nathan smoothed her hair. "When we actually…"

"Right," Haley nodded, blushing.

"It was…"

"Awkward, at first," Haley admitted, blushing even harder.

"_Sacred_," Nathan corrected.

"Sacred," she repeated, unsure if she'd ever heard that word come from his lips.

He saw her expression, and kissed her softly. "Yes, _sacred_. You hear girls talk about it like that, and you think it's just a load of bullshit they put on sex to make it mean something more than just, I don't know, fun."

Normally, she would have interrupted with a more enlightened opinion. But Haley held her tongue, waiting.

"But that first time, I got it," Nathan continued, at last. "And every time, since."

Her heart raced, listening to his words. Seeing the feelings on his face.

"It started the first time we slept together," he told her, "after I collapsed? I woke up in the middle of the night and realized, that was the first time I'd ever slept with anyone I hadn't had sex with. You were in my arms, _snoring_…"

Haley coughed in disbelief.

"…and I remember watching you, and putting my hand on your heart…" Nathan pressed his palm to her chest and she slipped her own over it. "I didn't know what I was feeling, then."

"_Sacred_," Haley repeated, carefully.

"With all the craziness with Brooke, and the rehearsal party, and secret wedding dress fittings, I just don't want you to lose sight of that. What this is all about. Haley, you are _sacred_ to me. Do you understand?"

"When I saw the blood on your jersey during the game…" she looked into his eyes. "I understand." She promised.

"Besides, you have to have your strength up if you're going to keep yourself from attacking this body carnally before the ceremony."

"God, I love you," she announced, amazed how deep it went.

"Back at you, Haley James…"

"_Scott_," they both said simultaneously. And then their smiles dissolved into kisses, pulling each other so close that it was like being one.

_**January, Senior Year**_

He heard the ball, and knew before he even got close enough to see - who he'd find playing.

"Dude," Lucas shook his head, at the sight of his brother jogging towards the river court.

"Oh, man," Skills laughed. "You are _so_ busted."

"How many minutes you been playing?" Nathan demanded, holding out his hands for the pass.

"Maybe 5," Lucas mused.

"More like 10," Skills corrected.

"Sit it out," Nathan instructed.

Lucas gave him a long, hard, look.

"Just take a break," Nathan said. "Skills and I should be knocking around some pass drills, anyway. We're in the playoffs, now."

"Pass drills?" Skills protested. "It's 2AM!"

"So what are you doing here, then?" Nathan challenged.

The three all looked at each other. Finally, Skills raised his hand. "Bevin dropped the bomb, man. After the game. The 'L' word, you know."

Lucas and Nathan shared a look and nodded in commiseration.

"I'm missing Brooke," Luke admitted. "And Keith. And it's making me crazy to be on the sidelines. And this whole thing with Derek…"

"Since the accident," Nathan confessed, "I can barely sleep. I keep going back to the bridge."

The three looked at each other again. Finally they burst out laughing.

"We pitiful, dawgs," Skills chuckled, stealing the ball back and dribbling.

"Pathetic," Lucas agreed, back up to the stands and taking a seat.

"So very, very sad," Nathan announced, taking the ball off rebound and bringing it back to half-court.

"Go to his left!" Lucas instructed his old friend.

"Oh, man," Nathan groaned as Skills made the steal.

"This is why I am honored to be wearing a brother's shirt," Skills hooted, jumping to make the 2 points.

"You know, I was honored to wear it, too," Nathan looked over at Lucas and the brothers shared a crooked smile.

Then Nathan turned his attention back to Skills. Who knew enough to be wary, but faced him head-on for the joy of it.

_**February, Senior Year**_

"This is _not_ how I expected to be spending our first anniversary," Haley sighed. She looked down at her socked feet, resting in the stirrups, and groaned.

"Me, either," Nathan agreed. He looked around the examination room uncomfortably.

"OK," the doctor announced, entering the room. "Let's see what we see – or _hear_, as the case may be." She pressed a wand onto Haley's still-smooth belly and moved it around in inches. A fast thud-thud-thud noise sound soon echoed in the room.

"Oh, wow," Nathan reacted, squeezing Haley's hand. "That's him? Or her?"

"That's the baby," the doctor agreed with a smile. "Everything sounds just right." She gave Haley a towel to wipe her stomach with, and put the wand back in its holder on the machine.

The doctor flipped through Haley's chart and made some notations. "All right, we did some tests because we weren't sure of conception dates – right?"

Haley nodded. "I was on the Pill," she reminded the woman.

"Right, OK. So…" she took a breath. "It looks like you're about 17 weeks along. Your due date should be just about mid-July, say the 14th."

"July?" Haley repeated.

"So we conceived…"

"The week before Halloween," the doctor confirmed. "Give or take some days."

Nathan and Haley shared a long, secret look. "The storm?" she guessed.

"Maybe," he said, kissing her forehead.

"Probably," she decided, daring him to say different.

"We usually schedule the sonogram for the 20 week mark," the doctor handed them a pamphlet. "You can make the appointment on your way out today."

"Will we find out then if it's a boy or a girl?" Nathan asked.

"If the baby cooperates," the doctor warned. "Are there any more questions?"

Haley and Nathan couldn't think of any, and a few minutes later they were walking out the door of the clinic.

Peyton and Lucas were sitting on the hood of his car, waiting.

"Hey," Nathan reached out and knocked fists with his brother. "What are you doing here?"

"Giving you a ride to practice. Now that I'm back on the team, and all."

"Oh… right," Nathan acted as though he'd forgotten. He glanced at Peyton but Lucas gave him the '_Don't Ask_' look. Nathan nodded. "So you want to hear about the newest Scott prodigy?"

"Of course."

"Due July 14th; give or take," Haley announced. "So at least we get to actually _finish_ high school first."

"This is the high water mark in our family," Lucas commiserated, putting his arm around her.

"True," Nathan laughed. "But Duke has family-style dorms…"

"…in their _graduate_ housing department, but they're being flexible," Haley added.

"Which is good, because undergrads are required to live on campus the first 3 years…" Nathan rolled his eyes.

"And they've offered a child-care scholarship, on-campus…"

"So we're actually feeling a bit hopeful about the Scott family adventures with college," Nathan finished.

"Couldn't tell," Lucas teased.

"It sounds _great_," Peyton gave Lucas a dirty look, and then smiled at the couple.

"It does, actually," Luke agreed. "You ready, Nate?"

Nathan reached through the window and kissed his wife as Peyton slipped into the passenger seat beside her. Within moments, the two girls were headed off towards Karen's so Haley could start her shift.

Headed back towards Keith's old car, Nathan gave his brother a look.

"Still? With the '_Peyton afraid to be alone_' thing?"

Lucas held up his hands. "As you can see."

"Don't get me wrong, I love the girl – but sooner or later, she's gotta find the strength."

"I know, little brother," Lucas sighed. "I actually have a plan to help with that."

"Practice, first," Nathan ordered, pulling on his seatbelt.

"Yes, sir," Lucas saluted, starting up the car.

_**March, Senior Year**_

It was Karen who found him. Sitting in a pew of the chapel, crying silently.

"Hey," she carefully lowered herself beside him. "Our family should get a discount here, don't you think?"

Nathan shuddered, trying to stop the tears. He hugged his arms around his chest, and rocked slightly.

"Hey," Karen repeated as she awkwardly laid a hand on his arm and patted. "Listen, the doctors are saying good things. Luke's heart looks strong. And Haley is breathing on her own."

"They have to be all right," Nathan whispered brokenly. "They're all I have. They have to be all right."

"They will be," Karen promised gently, with a faith that was not as much a lie as it was a hope.

"My wife, and baby, and brother…" Nathan cried.

"I know," she agreed, her own tears beginning to fall.

"Nothing matters if…"

"Shhhh," Karen soothed.

"It's all my fault," Nathan dropped his head to her shoulder, and sobbed.

"They are going to be all right," Karen promised. "You need to believe."

She felt him nod, just a little. And their tears started to slow.

"Who's with them?" he asked, finally. His voice broken with fear and grief.

"Peyton and Brooke," Karen told him.

He straightened and took a deep breath. "Uh, OK."

"I'm going to get you some coffee," Karen said, finally, pulling herself to her feet. "And me some gestationally-approved apple juice or something."

Nathan looked up at her, "Karen?"

She turned, and looked down at him kindly.

"Thanks."

"_Believe_," she reminded him.

"OK," he agreed, able to breath again without it stinging his lungs.

She nodded, and left quietly. He watched her go, almost with new eyes.

_**April, Senior Year**_

"All I'm saying is that my eyes need an acid bath," Lucas announced as he finished his impossibly expensive soda.

Peyton burst out in peals of laughter. "Oh, come _on_! It was hysterical! How can you not be amazed that Mouth and Skills taught Nathan to _dance_?"

"I'm not sure that qualifies as dancing," Haley objected, giggling. "More like a synchronization of random body motions."

"Oh," Lucas groaned. "_Harsh_."

"But true," Peyton added, still laughing. "Ah, the things people will do for love."

The lights went up and Lucas helped Haley to her feet. "I'm good," she told him, once she had her crutches steady.

"You sure?" he wondered, hovering a little as she made a little skip.

"I really am," she promised. "But thanks."

"What's a brother for?" Lucas asked, meeting her eyes.

"Or a best friend," Haley smiled.

Peyton held out her arm, and Lucas jogged up to reach her. As they walked towards the exit, Haley step-hopped after them.

Rachel had a shrewd expression as she looked at Lucas and then back at Haley. She shrugged, and kept pace with the Scott Wife towards the door.

_**May, Senior Year**_

He crawled onto the bed with her.

"Wow, mirrored ceilings," he whistled.

"Yeah, it's kinda freaking me out," Haley admitted. "One bad speed bump and it's a nasty death – don't you think?"

"Oh," Luke considered the possibilities. "OK, now it's creeping _me_ out."

"Where's your posse?" She asked, absently rubbing her belly.

"Brooke and Peyton are in two of the bunks - but I'm not sure if they're asleep. Skills and Nathan are nursing the last of the scotch, I think."

"And Chris?"

"Ah, _Chris Keller_ is passed out cold. Nathan and I put him in another bunk and buttoned the curtain on him. And don't think the irony of that escaped us. To be honest, I thought you would be out like a light, too."

"Baby's up," she groaned.

He looked at her belly, and then back up at her face.

"Go ahead," she rolled her eyes.

Almost nervously, Lucas laid his hand on Haley's stomach. At first he didn't feel anything, but then a soft movement. Like drifting pressure. Awed, he searched his best friend's face. "Whoa," he whispered.

"Yeah," she agreed.

The baby continued to move, and Lucas tucked a pillow under his head and kept his hand on her belly. "This is amazing, Hales."

"Well, yes and no," she responded ruefully. "Sometimes it would be nice if we could sleep at the same time. It's kind of weird sharing a body with someone who's on their own independent schedule, you know?"

"But really cool, too," Lucas felt a hard thump on his palm and jerked a little.

"He knows you're there," she told him.

"Wow," he sighed. "I wish…"

"That Keith were here to share this with your mom?" Haley guessed.

Lucas met her eyes and nodded.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I wish that, too."

Haley yawned, and Lucas sat up. He rummaged through some of the cabinets and found an extra blanket and some more pillows. Spreading the blanket over Haley, he lay back down and looked up at their reflections.

"Thanks," she yawned again. "I hadn't even noticed I was cold. The air conditioner must be on high."

"Well, I can see why you wouldn't want to get under Chris Keller's sheets," Lucas teased.

"_Eww_," Haley agreed. She rolled to her side a little and began to drift off.

Luke tucked a strand of hair off her face and gazed at Haley. She didn't look much like the girl he used to know – except for the fact that her smile was just the same. Sometimes, he loved Haley so much it surprised him. There should be some kind of special kinship for what they had. A word for it that was more abiding than "best friend" –a term 7 year olds could use with abandon. Different than "sister", because they shared a camaraderie afforded by having different parents. And an affection that was less platonic – but not romantic. The writer in Lucas struggled with it as his body relaxed, but in the end, all he could think was … "Haley."

In the doorway, Nathan blinked as he looked down on his sleeping wife and brother. The bed was set almost into the floor and Haley was bundled in a blanket and curved around a pile of pillows. Lucas was on his back, one hand behind his head.

With a sigh, Nathan kissed his wife's cheek – and then her belly. Carefully, he slipped one of the pillows free and dropped it on the floor on the other side of his wife. He lay down on his side, facing her, and listened as she breathed. Until sleep faded him, too, into dreams.

_**June, Senior Year**_

"So what I'm telling you, is that this baby could come any time after Wednesday."

"_I got it_, Nathan" Luke reminded him, having heard the news more than once.

"I just don't understand. Babies are supposed to be born after 9 months. How can it be OK to be born at 8?"

"Because 36 weeks is gestationally pretty full-term."

Nathan shot his brother a look, and Lucas laughed at his expression. "Hey, I'm getting all this in stereo – don't forget."

Haley joined them on the porch of the Scott house with a tray of drinks. "Wow," she said, looking out onto the lawn.

"It's grass, Hales. Green, green, and more green," Nathan pointed out.

"I'm just remembering the first time I was back here," she told him, joining them at the patio table.

"The booster dinner," Lucas remembered.

"Oh, yeah, fun times," Nathan groaned.

"I kissed Peyton," Lucas recalled. "I kissed a lot of Peyton."

"Dude! Dial down the details!" Nathan protested.

"You're _still_ kissing Peyton," Haley reminded her friend with a grin. "Oh, and I was _so_ crushing on Nathan." She blushed, the memory of that night's humiliation coming back to her.

"You _should_ be embarrassed! Nathan was, like, the anti-Haley."

"No way, man. I was totally crushing on her right back," Nathan confessed. "I'd known it wouldn't be her scene, but I'd been totally wishing I was with Haley rather than at that party. I practically jumped out of my skin when I turned around and she was _there_. And then, when Brooke ripped into her, I was never so close to hitting a woman in my life."

"Oh, Brooke back then – _God_," Haley groaned.

"I just walked right out of my parent's party to find you and apologize," Nathan told his wife. "My parents practically had a _cow_. And then you wouldn't accept it. No one's ever called me on my shit like that," he said admiringly.

"Damn straight," she smiled, leaning over to kiss him briefly.

"I'm _still_ kissing Peyton," Lucas repeated happily.

"We've come a long, long way," Haley noted, sipping her juice.

"Damn straight," Nathan repeated, but not happily.

"Bro," Lucas looked over at him. "I was _proud_ of you this afternoon. Proud of how you stepped up, and proud to be your brother."

Nathan looked into his glass and sighed. "I feel like I threw it all away," he sighed. "Everything I worked my whole life for."

"But look at the man you became," Haley pointed out, gently. "You have more integrity and strength than anyone could have ever imagined."

Lucas nodded in agreement.

"After what I did, I have no idea what's gonna happen. Will Duke – will any school – still take me," Nathan wondered. "What the hell happens now? Haley could have this baby any minute…"

"Ahem!" she shook her head.

"_Soon_," he corrected. "And all our plans are just – _poof_."

"In the end, it's going to be OK," Luke said, very seriously.

"How do you _know_, man?"

"Because if it's not OK, then it's not the end," Haley answered. "We'll make this right for us," she promised.

"For our family," Luke added.

Nathan looked at his brother, and then at his wife. He reached out his hand, and she took it. "OK," he exhaled, faith restored once again. "OK."

Luke lifted a glass and toasted him while Haley rested her head on Nathan's shoulder. In the trees, a raven darted towards the ground and swooped back up.

And as one, the little family smiled at the sign.


	3. Summer Interlude 1 Living Together

_Thank you so much to the folks who left comments:) Please, needy writer! R/R!!_

* * *

_**July, after Senior Year**_

She picked the guitar idly, a new interpretation of an old folk song making its way from her hands. In the crib behind the counter, her son's eyes followed the sound. His face was the picture of baby contentment.

"That's nice," Karen noted with a smile, stepping into the café.

"Thanks," Haley looked up quickly and kept playing.

Karen put a resting Lily into the crib next to Jamie, and pulled on an apron.

"Thanks for starting coffee," Karen poured herself a cup, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Late night?" Haley asked, finally putting her guitar away in the case.

"Oh," the other woman sighed. "Yes. At least I _think_ so. Luke got up with her. I left him passed out cold - so it'll be just us for the morning rush today."

"We can handle it," Haley smiled. "Poor Luke, he seems to be alternating babysitting duties for two."

"And missing Peyton 3,000 miles away," Karen added ruefully.

"Actually, I think that's the part he minds the most," the younger woman chuckled. She strapped on her own apron, and then finished laying out the pastries in the display case. Her mind clearly somewhere else, and not a good place.

"Haley?" Karen asked, watching her carefully. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing," Haley dismissed.

"Haley?"

"It's just that, uh, I heard from Gilmore. There's no married housing, no child care available on campus, no child care scholarship, and, in fact, no scholarship for me at _all_," she admitted. "When it comes down to it, Jamie and I seem to be homeless."

"Oh," Karen exhaled.

"I just don't know if, uh, we can do this. I mean, Nathan can, but…"

"He won't go without you," Karen told her, completely sure.

"I know, and that's part of the problem. I mean, I don't mind taking a year off if it gets Nathan back on track but I'm not sure how to convince him…"

"Convince _who_ of _what_?" Lucas asked, stepping into the sunny room and rubbing his tousled hair as though he'd just woken up. Which wasn't far from the truth.

"Hey!" Karen smiled at her son. "You're supposed to be sleeping in."

"Too quiet," Lucas grumbled, pouring himself a tall cup of coffee. "Besides, you know the gruesome twosome will need one of you before the rush is over. _So_…" he looked at his sister-in-law. "I ask again, convince _who_ of _what_?"

"Nathan. To go to Gilmore without Jamie and me."

"Never gonna happen," Lucas responded immediately, agreeing with his mother. He pulled his fingers down his stubbled cheek and looked at her, confused. "_Haley_. What are you even thinking of, suggesting it?"

"There's no housing, Luke," she admitted, sadly. "Nothing for families."

"But…" his face scrunched in thought. "We got the full ride letters…"

"For you, and for Nathan."

He met her eyes, his expression frustrated. "You're kidding?"

She shook her head and started the ovens up to get ready for breakfast orders. Karen went to the safe to get the money for the cash register.

"We'll work something out," Lucas promised, reaching out to touch her shoulder.

Haley looked at him doubtfully, and sighed.

_**August, after Senior Year**_

"Uh, Luke?" Haley tapped him from the back seat of Keith's muscle car. "That was the exit for the beach."

"We're not going to the beach," Nathan looked back at his wife and grinned.

"Of _course_ we're going to the beach! I'm wearing a bathing suit under this," she tugged on the material of her sundress. "And Jamie has on, like, a gallon of sunscreen and a waterproof diaper!"

"Change of plans, Hales," Nathan told her.

"We're going to Gilmore," Luke revealed.

"But that's hours away! We're not packed for that," she protested.

"Surprise! I packed us up last night," Nathan promised. "Stuff's in the trunk."

"No arguments," Lucas ordered. "We're going to figure this out, once and for all."

"We already did," Haley argued.

"No, _we_ didn't. And no arguments," Nathan repeated.

Lucas turned up the radio over her protests. "_Big wheels keep on turning, carry me home to see my kin…_" he sang.

His brother joined him, terribly off-key; "_Singing songs about the south-land, I miss my 'ol family once again…_"

Haley gave up and joined in; "_Sweet home Alabama, Where the skies are so blue. Sweet Home Alabama, Lord, I'm coming home to you…_"

A couple of hours later, Nathan glanced back and realized that Haley had fallen asleep in the back with her hand resting on Jamie's carrier. He turned the radio off and looked over at his brother. "Thanks for doing this, man."

"Don't worry about it," Lucas shrugged.

"Uh, I've actually been thinking about that," Nathan told him. "You know, uh, we haven't actually spent much time under the same roof."

"Yeah. Except for that fight between you and Haley."

"And the hospital," Nathan recalled.

"You worried?"

"You snore?"

"Not that anyone's complained," Lucas denied. He began idly whistling.

"Stop that," Nate ordered.

His brother gave him a look.

"Do you even know what you're whistling?" Nathan snorted. "_Holiday. It's the best day. Ice-cream day…._"

"Oh, no," Luke groaned. "_I am only happy, When I have_…"

"_Holiday_," they both finished, laughing.

Luke saw the sign for Gilmore and took the exit, rolling to a stop at the light. "OK. Coach says this place is practically on campus," Nathan pulled a print-out from his pocket. "I've got the directions. Follow the signs to the college."

Luke nodded and made the turn.

"What else does Coach say," Haley asked drowsily.

Nathan started in surprise, and then smiled back at her. "Uh, OK. It's a 2-bedroom apartment in a converted house. And luckily Coach vouched for us, because they usually only rent to teachers."

Haley nodded. "But what about the rent?"

Lucas caught her eyes briefly in the rearview mirror. "With the housing stipend they're giving Nate and me –"

"-plus a lot of the money I got from working in the factory this summer-"

"We've got the rent and utilities covered for the school year," Luke assured her.

"We're all going to live together?" Haley peered at the back of their heads, side by side in the front seats.

"Yeah," Nathan confirmed.

"You know, like families do," Luke added.

"But…"

"Your tuition is going to be covered by a financial aid grant and a partial scholarship."

"Since when?" Haley demanded.

"Since Coach and I leaned on the school," Nathan admitted.

"Where's the catch?" she wondered.

"Well, for one thing," Lucas answered straight up, "...there's still no child care, Hales."

"We're going to have to do it ourselves," Nathan confessed. "The three of us, balancing schedules."

"But, no…it's too much to ask," she protested. "I mean, Luke, really, how is this fair to you?"

"Shut up, Haley," Lucas ordered, making another turn. "Because, honestly, with Nate and I in practice together – the worst of it is gonna fall on you."

"And for another thing," Nathan continued. "We won't get the campus meal plan. We're going have to figure that out, too."

"Oh, and don't forget – it's an _unfurnished_ apartment. We're gonna have to rent a truck and scavenge up things like beds," Luke reminded his brother.

"And laundry. The only machines are in the basement, and coin-operated."

"Loads of fun," Lucas quipped.

"So, _no catch_…" Haley gave a kind of desperate gurgle, a little overwhelmed.

The car pulled to a stop in front of a tall white Victorian, with large windows. They got out of the car, carefully stretching out after the long ride. Nathan unbuckled the baby, and pulled him carefully into his arms.

They stood, in the dappled shade of the front yard, and looked up at the house. And behind it, the sleepy college campus not yet bustling with students and staff.

Lucas and Nathan looked over at Haley, waiting for her response.

She nodded, slowly. "I guess," she declared. "We _could_ make this work."

"It's not totally impossible," Lucas agreed, slinging his arm around her.

"I'd go so far as to call it do-able," Nathan announced, grinning down at his son.

"All right, then," Haley exhaled, breathing easily for the first time in weeks.

"All right," the guys agreed. And they stepped forward to check out their new home.


	4. Gilmore Freshman Year

A/N: I'm not sure if anyone's reading but here is the first year of college! :)

* * *

_**Halloween, Freshman Year**_

_Bittersweet_ by Big Head Todd and the Monsters echoed from the speakers. "This is in _interesting_ Halloween mix CD that Peyton made," Haley noted as she chewed on a red licorice stick she'd stolen from the candy bowl.

"My girl is looking extremely hot tonight," Nathan told his freshly-bathed son, grinning at his wife as he carried Jamie from the bathroom to their bedroom.

She twirled in a plaid mini skirt and heels. "Your girl is hoping to get lucky," she confessed.

"OK, enough of that," Lucas announced, pushing open the front door. "Brother in the house!"

"_Damn_," Nathan came back into the living area, having put the baby down. "What happened to you judging the free-throw tournament?"

"What judging?" Luke retorted, untying a cloak from around his neck. "It's freaking bedlam down there. There are at least a hundred balls flying - no one is tracking them. Whitey disappeared hours ago. Oh, and someone stole the goat."

"The goat? You mean the _ram_, the mascot from the exhibition game earlier?" Haley covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. "They left it behind?"

"What left? The team's still here," Lucas groaned. "It's just a cavalcade of the weird and the strange tonight." He pulled a small chocolate bar from the bowl before Haley could slap his hand away.

"Who brings a mascot to an away game, anyway?" Nathan shook his head in disbelief. "Especially one you know you're gonna lose?"

"They knew they were going to lose?" Haley asked, sitting down on the couch next to her husband and dropping her legs in his lap.

"Yeah," Nathan explained. "Like we travel to Div 1 schools to get beat, Division 3 travels to us. It's part of pre-season."

Lucas dropped into the armchair, nodding. "That _is_ how it works, Hales."

"That just sounds…_stupid_," she shook her head in wonder. "And now they've lost a ram somewhere on campus. Which you know is gonna be found in some odd place tomorrow as a joke."

The three looked up in thought for a moment. "Bell tower," they announced simultaneously.

Haley laughed out loud.

"You know what's more pathetic?" Nathan looked pointedly at Luke. "It's Halloween, it's college, and you're sitting around with us old married people snacking on Goobers and Malted Milk Balls," Nathan glanced at the bowl, and back at his brother.

"Hey! At least they have all their consonants," Haley defended her candy-buying choices.

"Yeah," Nathan agreed huskily, a memory clearly reflected on his face.

"OK, OK, I get it," Luke groaned, pushing himself back up and heading for the door. "I'm gonna force myself to find some depraved party where there will most definitely be underage drinking, scantily clad co-eds, and the potential of loose livestock. But you two _owe_ me," he wagged his finger.

"Yes, _dad_," Haley laughed outright as he left the apartment.

"Finally!" Nathan exhaled happily. "_So_. Scantily clad co-eds?"

"Coming right up," she promised, tugging the top buttons of her blouse open.

"I _love_ college!" Nathan cheered, pouncing on his wife with a roar.

_**The First Interview, Spring Break, Freshman Year**_

He ran venture drills. The kitchen timer on the stands ticked softly as he sprinted around the cones, changing directions as he raced.

"Nathan Scott?"

He finished the drill before turning. "Yeah?" he wiped the sweat from his eyes.

"I'm Chris, from the city paper. I called up to schedule an interview?"

"Yeah?" The timer went off with a shrill ring and he grabbed it. Then he started piling the cones.

"Your roommate said I could find you here."

He stopped and raised his eyebrows. "Roommate?"

"You've got this town fired up about basketball. And next week, you're leading the Cobras to play for the Division II National Championship. For a team that hasn't had a winning season in 4 years, that's quite a story. It's a feature, in fact. Front page."

"The coach is probably your best bet," Nathan told the woman, pushing past her to put the stack of cones and the timer in the equipment closet.

"_You're_ the star," Chris corrected him as she followed. "Whether you give me the interview or not, the article's about _you_."

Nathan didn't acknowledge her. He rolled the tray of balls out to the court. The woman tagged along doggedly on his heels.

Picking up the first ball, he dribbled it for a few minutes. Switching hands, turning, stepping forward and back.

"Uh, don't you have regular practices?"

Nathan still didn't respond. He made a few shots from the foul line and then gathered the balls back up.

"Look!" she exploded, frustrated. "This prima donna act may have worked wherever it is you came from, but not here. _You're screwing yourself with this attitude_. And for a guy who's trying to rehabilitate his image, how smart is that?"

He sighed, and looked sideways at her.

"Yeah, I know about the point shaving. Everyone does," she reminded him.

"Then you know she's my wife, not my roommate," he accused quietly.

"I…" The reporter shook her head. "Your stat sheet says you're only 19."

"I can name a dozen NBA players off the top of my head who married and had kids young."

"But you're…"

"White?" Nathan chuckled, and began dribbling again.

The reporter realized she was trapped. She took a deep breath and tried again. "Your wife said that I might find you here."

Nathan nodded and acquiesced, having won the invisible point. "Yeah, I usually try to squeeze in a second practice on the days leading up to a big game." He shot the last of the balls from the free throw line and then gathered them all up again. "OK, here's the deal; I don't want to talk about the point shaving or any of that. Just the here and now."

"No can do," Chris argued, turning on a small recorder. "And I'll tell you something else, if you put it all on the record it will all go away faster."

"No, it won't," he outright laughed at her.

"All right, how about you just pass on the questions you don't want to answer. But know I'm going to research the answers anyway."

"That's fair," Nathan acknowledged. He stretched and then took position to the basket. "You know basketball?"

She blushed. "The truth is, there's a sports reporter who's supposed to be doing this for Friday's front page. I'm a first-year from the features desk assigned to help him."

Nate rolled his eyes. "Nice bluff. So where's the _real_ reporter?"

"In the hospital with a concussion. This is my big shot. _Please_."

"_God_," he groaned. "OK. Ask away."

"Basics: why are you here? The sports guy said you could have jumped straight to the NBA."

"No," Nathan began throwing jump shots. "It was always the plan to play college, first. My high school wasn't high profile, nationally, so my options going straight in were…" he wiggled his hand, to demonstrate.

"So, _Gilmore College_? That was the plan?"

"No," Nathan laughed. "But I'm grateful to them for taking a chance on me. Everyone else backed away after my mistake, but Gilmore gave me and my family a home. I'm going to bring them a championship, or two, if I can. I owe this school."

"Your entourage includes 2 coaches. Can you play for anyone else?"

"_Entourage_?" Nathan snorted in disbelief. "Well, Whitey Durham is one of the best coaches in the country, you can research that for yourself."

"And your, what, half-brother?"

"Don't call him that," Nathan corrected her, hotly. "Luke's my _brother_. Just say _that_. And he's a hell of a fine player, and coach."

"About the point-shaving…" she tried again.

"Or _not_," Nathan interrupted. He gathered up the balls again and moved his angle.

"Or not," Chris sighed. "At least, for tonight."

"You know what I'm doing?" Nathan asked her, landing another throw.

"Uh…"

He glanced at her, a tolerant expression on his face. "This is called a fadeaway. It's a jump shot you make while jumping backwards, away from the basket." He attempted another one. "See? When you've got a defender in your face, this shot puts space between you and him – making it really hard to block." He threw another one.

"OK," she watched.

"So you're moving backward while sending the ball forward – that means you need to put a lot of power in it and about twice the accuracy as a regular jump shot." He made one, nothing but net, and she nodded as she wrote in her notebook.

"So they're hard, not everyone can throw one. But they are almost impossible to block and for someone like me, who gets double-teamed a lot, being able to throw a fadeaway keeps me on the board. And the competition knows I have it, so I can get them to foul me just by faking like I'm gonna throw one," Nathan grinned and then threw two more in succession.

"Fadeaway was the signature shot for some great players; Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan… right now, some say Kobe has it best but for me it's all about King James."

"_LeBron_ James?" Chris asked, making a note.

Nathan nodded, and loaded the rack up before moving to another spot and starting another round. "My coaches think if I keep on it, I can give 'em a run for their money, but…" he shrugged.

"So is that your shot? Like, _your_ signature?"

"MY signature?" Nathan repeated. "Uh, _no_. It's no secret that I love to dunk, but that's pretty common. I've got a decent overarm layup, and guys tend to underestimate me on 'D', which is a mistake 'cuz I can make the block despite my size."

"You're too… what?"

He burst out laughing. "Short. Average height in the NBA is over 6 and a half feet and I'm shy of that."

"Oh," she made another note. "You _really_ love this game," she observed.

"Oh, yeah," he agreed. "Basketball is _it_. My family is the only thing I love more in this world."

She stared at him as he continued to practice his fadeaway. Finally she said, "If I was gonna write about it, I suppose that's the quote I would use as your comment on the point shaving."

He stopped where he was and thought for a long moment. "If I was gonna talk about it," he considered. "I suppose that's the only quote I would give."

From the back of the gym, the report nodded, thoughtfully. He glanced at her for a split second, and then began gathering up the balls again.

_**Memorial Day Weekend, End of Freshman Year**_

Lucas pulled flipped down the visor against the sun and nestled further into the passenger seat.

"You are _so_ hung over," Haley chided.

"Guilty," he muttered, still waking up.

"What the hell got into you last night? I had to pack all our stuff by myself!"

"I know," he groaned. "But could you yell at me kinda quieter? I'm in _pain_."

"Idiot," she sighed. In the back seat, Jamie slept peacefully in his carrier. The rest of the space and the trunk were full with suitcases and boxes packed with what they would need for the summer. The furniture they'd left in the apartment for the sub-letters and Haley had locked the remainder of their things in a storage area in the basement.

"Sorry," he exhaled, rubbing his head. "I should of helped more."

"Damn straight," she agreed, carefully merging onto the highway towards Tree Hill. "When Nathan left for camp, you were all '_oh, yeah, we can handle it…_' turns out "we" meant me, myself, and Jamie."

"Jamie helped?" He asked, innocently.

She swatted him playfully.

He watched her for a long moment, saw her smile dim into something more like melancholy. "What is it?" he asked softly.

"What's what?"

"Whatever it is that's bugging you."

She blinked and shook her head.

"Tell me," he urged.

"I'm just getting nostalgic."

"We've barely left campus," he teased.

"I know," she agreed.

"Hales?" he prompted.

"Nathan has got scouts on him every day, your book's getting published and you're moving out. I mean…"

"I don't understand. Those are _good_ things," he peered at her, confused. Then he weaved his fingers with hers between the seats and squeezed, gently.

"It feels like it's over," she admitted in a small voice.

"Oh," he exhaled, getting it. "Oh, Hales…no. I promise you, _no_."

She kept her eyes on the road.

"Haley," Luke said firmly. "Listen, come August you and I will be back in this car, with all this stuff, heading back to Gilmore. The only thing different will be that Jamie will be doing simple arithmetic and be toilet-trained."

She bit out a short laugh. "And Nathan?"

"Still be running suicides at camp," he promised. "Look, I'm just moving to my own apartment, not even a hundred yards away. We can afford it now with the increased stipends, and frankly – I think we can all agree that the privacy will be nice."

"True," she admitted. "I guess I'm just sad, because it was a good year - wasn't it? Except for the thing with…"

"Except for that," he agreed, wincing, a little from hangover and a little from heartache. "It was the _best_ of years, Hales. Hard as hell, and worth every minute. And like you said, we're a family forever."

"Yeah. And it kind of happened this year," she noted.

He looked at her, tempted to tell her different. Instead, he bit his tongue and held her hand.


	5. Gilmore Sophomore Year

_A/N: THANK YOU for all the wonderful, amazing, generous comments. I was really feeling pretty isolated with this story. As you can tell, we have run out of canon - there have been no flashbacks for Nathan's years at Maryland so I'm a little nervous to "go there". In any event, I wrote and deleted the second act of this chapter about 5 times, so I hope you'll let me know if it worked..._

* * *

_**Second Wednesday in November, Sophomore Year**_

Nathan sat on the floor with his back against the wall. His brother sat across from him with Jamie half asleep on his lap.

"It's a good offer," Lucas said into the quiet.

"It's a _great_ offer," Nathan corrected. "Top Division 1 School, ACC, pretty close to home, full package…"

"Yeah," Luke nodded. "But it's not Duke."

"It's not Duke," Nathan echoed, fingering the letter.

"Did the guy from Duke say…" Haley asked from her perch on the sofa.

"Just what I told you," her husband looked up for as second. "Recruited walk-on."

"No money," she confirmed.

"No promise of a spot on the roster," Lucas added.

"They could change their mind," Nathan said, wistfully.

"I dunno, bro," Luke sighed.

"And at this school, you'd be playing Duke?"

"I'd be _beating_ Duke," Nathan promised, a flash of humor.

"Twice on Sundays," Luke agreed. "And North Carolina, too."

"Easily," Nathan confirmed, determination in his eyes.

"But you won't be coming with us," Haley glanced at her best friend.

"The book's coming out this spring, Haley," he reminded her. "Juggling coaching and editing and book signing…"

"And groupies," Nathan pointed out.

"And groupies," Lucas grinned. "I need to stay close to home."

She nodded, understanding. "Mouth's at Wake Forest," she mused.

"Not Wake Forest," Nathan shook his head. "I want to _play_ basketball, not study its etymology."

She tossed him a smile for his vocabulary. The side of his mouth lifted in return. "What do _you_ want, Hales? I mean, I haven't even called Stanford. If you want me to wait…"

"This is a great school, Nathan. My only concern is the academics."

"Not an issue," he told her. "I'm married to my tutor."

"I was talking about _me_," she laughed. "My brain is mush these days."

"Why not wait until after the championships?" Luke wondered. "Or you could redshirt, if you wanted more time."

"No," Nathan turned down the idea. He opened the letter and looked at it again. Ran his finger over the embossed logo. Sifted through the pack of papers attached to it. Glanced thoughtfully at Jamie and then over at Haley. "No," he said again.

"You've got a 4-star ranking and you're in the top 50 on both recruiting websites," Lucas argued. "You've done a _hell_ of thing with a year and a summer at a Division 2 Junior College…you'll have more options. I can _guarantee_ it."

"Top 50, and this is the best offer I've got to date," Nathan pointed out. "Face it, guys, I'm still pretty much tainted goods."

"You're _wrong_," his wife retorted, almost angrily. "And what the hell is a 'terp', anyway?"

"Terrapin," Luke and Nathan answered at the same time.

"Turtle," Nathan further explained.

"_Turtle_?" Haley's face reflected her amused exasperation. "They named their team after a _turtle_? Are you sure they understand the _concept_ of basketball?"

"All the athletics of a school usually use the same name," Lucas said. "And a terrapin is kind of cool. It can live in salt or fresh water. And it's pretty much endangered."

"And an unkindness of terrapins is called…"

"A _bale_," he answered, meeting her eyes with a smile.

"Oh, well," Haley joked. "It makes complete sense now, thanks."

"Toss me a pen, Hales," Nathan ordered, quietly.

"Nathan," Lucas cajoled, one last time. "You're locking yourself in. Are you _sure_?"

"This was one of my top picks back in the day. They may take the championship this year; for sure they're a contender. And they're willing to take us on. So, _yes_. This is the team; the coach; and - this is the school."

"So you're following your heart?" Haley dug a pen from her purse and handed it over slowly.

"I'm kind of hoping my heart follows _me_," he answered, giving her a pointed look.

"We will, wherever you choose," she promised. Haley'd already been given an early decision letter to the school; now it was all a matter of Nathan's choice.

He took the pen and carefully signed and dated the letter and scholarship contract. "We're going to Maryland," he was almost bemused.

"Maryland," Lucas held up his fist and bowed to the finality in Nathan's voice.

"Maryland," Nate repeated more forcefully, banging it with his own.

"Maryland," Haley chimed in, toasting with a bottle of water before taking a long sip.

"Ball!" Jamie declared happily, from Luke's lap.

"Damn straight," his godfather cheered. "And amen."

_**March, Sophomore Year**_

She put the trophy on the mantel of the non-working fireplace and admired it.

"Do you think, if he'd waited until he'd picked this up – his _second_ division MVP – that Duke would have made the offer?"

Luke shrugged. "No way to know, now," he exhaled. "When Nathan signed the letter of intent, he became untouchable."

"I know," she exhaled. "Oh, I have something for you," she dug through a pile next to the chair and held out a leather scrapbook.

"What's this?" he laughed, putting down his beer and taking it from her. Touched the embossed monogram in gold letters. Turned the pages and realized what she'd done. "It's the reviews, and clippings about my book…oh, _Hales_, this is fantastic. Thank you."

She reached out and he embraced her for a long moment. "You keep adding to it," she instructed. "You're gonna want to remember this, Luke. How big a hit your _first_ novel was."

"Don't get ahead of yourself," he teased.

She glanced at the beer on the floor and back at her best friend.

"What?" he demanded, closing the scrapbook and putting it down on the table.

"You're drinking again," she shrugged.

"A beer," his face scrunched in confusion. "So?"

"Lucas, I know you like to think of yourself as the coolest of the cool, but…"

"Oh," he clapped his hand over his heart. "Are you insinuating that I'm not?"

"OK, let's do this," she sighed, sitting down and patting the space next to her on the couch.

"Do….what? Exactly?" he picked up his beer and settling on the sofa next to her, crossing a foot over his leg and waiting.

"Last year, when the _breakup that shall not be named_ happened, it broke my heart to watch what happened with you, Luke. You went, uh, more than a little crazy there for a while. And I know you did some more stupid stuff that you never told me about. Like maybe hit on Brooke?"

He looked surprised.

"Oh, you are _so_ predictable," she scoffed with a small laugh. "And now, here it is, the anniversary and look at you."

"It's the anniversary?"

She was clearly bemused by his ignorance. "_Yes_, Lucas. The week after the championships."

"I actually hadn't remembered," he assured her.

"Your heart did," Haley informed him gently. "And you re-lived that relationship almost every day when editing your book and doing readings and…"

"I don't think that's affected me, at all," he argued.

She rolled her eyes. "Look. Lindsey's great…"

"I'm not _with_ Lindsey," he protested.

Haley held up her hands. "Can we actually talk here? For real?"

Lucas dropped his head back on the sofa cushion and looked up at the ceiling. He breathed slowly, deeply. Then he finally lifted his face to look once again at his best friend. "Yeah, we can," he said seriously.

"Lindsey is _so_ into you," Haley pointed out.

"And I could be so into her, if only…"

They sighed, and Haley reached out her hand. Lucas took it, nodding.

"You know, Lindsey actually asked me the other day why you and I never…"

"Oh, eww," Haley laughed. Lucas didn't join her. He watched her grin slip as she realized he was serious.

"Oh, we are _not_ having that conversation," she denied.

He squeezed her hand with a soft smile. "We're talking, for real, remember? You are on every page that book and in all the spaces between the words. And I love that you're my best friend. But I have to admit, Lindsey made me wonder."

"If I told you to stop wondering, would you?"

"No," he chuckled.

She took a deep breath. "OK, then. But only because I think this actually has some bearing on your current situation," she gave him a stern look. "Faith."

"_Faith_?"

"The person, remember her?"

"Of course."

"OK, so even when we were just going into 9th grade – you looked like, well, _you_. And I was Velma in the backseat of the van."

"No, Hales…" he argued.

"We're being _real_," she shushed him. "And I did get a little blinded by the cuteness factor that summer, but of course I was invisible. And Faith was dominating on the river court. You remember?"

He nodded.

"And she'd been one of the gang for, like, forever. You and she were _tight_ and it made Skills crazy because he couldn't split you two up and he couldn't beat you as a team."

"I remember," Lucas smiled. "Her mom would come down and put us through drills."

"Then, July 4th," Haley recalled.

"Oh, yeah, the fireworks."

"And you and Faith started kissing."

"We did," he acknowledged.

"And then you started treating her like _crap_," Haley announced.

"What?!" He sat back, astonished.

"Luke, you practically moved in with me after you started dating Faith. And, if you remember, talking up Peyton."

"Not more than I had before."

_"Absolutely_ more. It was all this noise you put up. Like, once you started dating you couldn't also be Faith's _friend_ anymore. You were suddenly too busy to be at the river court, and at your mother's café."

"We were just kids," Luke protested.

"I remember when she broke up with you, you went all John Cusack and the boom box on her but, be honest, she got her friend back."

"Huh," he nodded. "So, bottom line - I suck as a boyfriend?"

"No, but you do tend to hold back."

"I'm, like, the most romantic guy on earth," he argued.

"But that's about the _chase_, Luke. But you have to admit – being committed, romantically, to just one person and the day-to-day of it aren't exactly your strong suits. I'm saying that you flirt with the idea of being all in, but you never quite go there."

"That's where you're wrong," he shook his hand free of hers and stood up. "I bought a ring, I was _all in_, Hales!"

"And, like, what? 24 hours later, you were kissing Brooke?!"

"So? A mistake! I'd just been dumped, for God's sake."

"So?! Let me tell you something about really being "all in" Lucas! It's not being _able_ to kiss anyone else. It's taking someone at whatever level they can give, because that's so much better than being apart. It's standing out in the rain, begging for forgiveness when you haven't really done anything wrong! You could have had it all - you just had to _stick_, Lucas! You were right there, in reaching distance of Peyton, and you LEFT!"

"She said NO!"

"Oh, God!" Haley groaned, pressing her hands to the side of her head. "Then why couldn't you wait? You're _great_ at waiting! Why not wait right there by her side until she was ready to say 'yes'?"

"Because if she didn't believe in it …then it _just wasn't there_! I couldn't force her to have – OK, yeah – _faith_! After everything we'd been through? After a lifetime of waiting? Don't you get it? I want what you and Nathan have!! God, Haley! People ask me, you know? They read the book and they say – that couple that got married when they were juniors in high school – they didn't really make it, did they? They couldn't have."

He cupped her face in his hands. "And I say, they did. You could spot them in a crowd, just by the way look at each other when they don't think anyone is watching," He leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers. "And the way Peyton looked at _me_, when I was proposing? Was like I'd let a bug loose in her apartment."

His broken voice echoed in her ears, and she slipped her arms against his chest and held him close.

"Give her another chance, Luke," she whispered. "When you go to L.A. next week, just one little call."

He nodded into her neck, and gripped her tightly.

"If I was being all writer-like about it," she whispered in his ear. "I would say that my heart was always meant for Nathan. _That's_ why no one else could really interest me until he came along. But if I was talking with my best friend," she confided, " I would say that I have always loved him way too much to risk losing him."

"And I would say, I love you just as much, Hales," he sighed.

He moved his head and gave her a kiss, dry and soft. His eyes closed tightly against all the emotions – and beer – in his blood.

Nathan opened the door, Jamie on his shoulder. "What the…?" he interrupted.

"Luke's gonna give Peyton a call," Haley smiled at her husband, stepping back from Luke and patting his chest.

"Right," Nathan cocked his head. "Maybe he could do that from _his_ place?"

"Yeah," Luke half-laughed, and rubbed his face. Gathering himself up, he grabbed his beer and his scrapbook. And with a tussle of Jamie's whispy blond hair, he let himself out.

"Just tell me that was nothing," Nathan groaned, handing off the baby to his wife.

"It was nothing," she parroted obediently.

"This isn't," he warned, lowering his face. He kissed her deeply and only Jamie's grumblings of hunger stopped him.

"Oh, kiss me some more like that later," she begged, moving into the kitchen and opening a box of crackers.

"Absolutely!" Then he shook his head at the image he'd walked in on. "Oh, _brother_…" he muttered, heading to the shower.

_**Graduation Night, Associates Degrees, Gilmore College**_

The lobby of the restaurant was crowded and loud with the conversation.

"A safari?"

"The picture kind," Royal explained. "They don't actually let you kill anything anymore."

"I have a hard time picturing you in Kenya," Whitey confided.

"Oh yeah," the other man smiled. "Three weeks in the bush and then one week at Lake Victoria and the beach. Had it planned for _years_. And I'll tell you something else – they've got basketball there. I'm not shitting you. Everyone always says how soccer is the international sport, but May and I…"

"She's got Keith's eyes," Mae said softly to Karen, a few feet away.

"She does," Karen agreed. "And Keith's easygoing nature, too."

Mae nuzzled her granddaughter with a delighted smile. "A girl in the family…"

"So, you live on a _boat_?" Jimmy James queried, standing near the front door.

"Well, it's not a dinghy," Andy equivocated. "It's got bathrooms and things."

"No, no, that's cool. I get it - we live in a motor home."

"Awesome," Andy laughed. "Do you stay in the States, or…"

"I think he's starting to look more like Nathan," Deb said, tucked into one of the small chairs and rocking her grandson gently.

"I'd love to agree with you, but this is not my first time at the grandparent rodeo, Deb," Lydia disagreed. "And until they're about 3 or 4, they all just look like aliens. Or in Jamie's case – Lucas."

Deb gave her an uncomfortable look. "Actually, if you look at my brother, Cooper…"

"So are you doing any racing at all?" Mouth asked, his back against the hostess desk.

"Yeah," Cooper smiled at Mouth. "Different circuit. But to be honest, I think I have a real shot where I am now. If you ever get to Wisconsin…"

"What I'm saying is - it's your fault! You moved him to small forward back in high school!" Royal poked at finger at the retired coach's chest.

"Well, Maryland will be playing him as point guard, Royal," Whitey argued. "6th man or not, and you know it. He doesn't have the height for being a power forward at this level. So…"

"Honors?" Mae made a tight smile, and tried to ignore her husband and Whitey. "That's wonderful. Are you going to do a Bachelors, like Lucas?"

"Yes," Karen nodded, smiling at her daughter in May's arms. "I think so, anyway. Although lately, I've been thinking of doing some more traveling." She glanced at Andy, who caught her look and winked back.

"Well, I can recommend Africa…" Mae said firmly.

"Uh, semester abroad is so expensive," Mouth explained to Cooper. "Although, helping out with a broadcast on the level of the Olympics would be amazing."

"You know, I've stopped into the broadcast booth a time or two and I can tell you, that is a really hectic career."

"Says the race car driver," Mouth laughed.

"Yeah, well…"

"See, I told him – _honey, why don't we just strap pontoons to the bottom_," Lydia explained.

"Pontoons?" Andy repeated, confused.

"To help keep it afloat, in the flood plains," Jimmy explained.

"Wait, I missed that part. Why were you in flood plains?"

"Oh, well we didn't know it was a flood plain when we headed there. We thought it was a drug store."

"A drug store?"

"Wall? It's famous…" Jimmy assured the younger man. "And then it started raining. Like, _biblically_…"

"I think he's teething," Deb inspected the baby's gums.

"Might be," Karen shrugged. "Lily hasn't had a new tooth for a while, but different babies have different schedules."

"Well, he does seem a little hot," Mae handed off her granddaughter and reached for her great-grandson.

"I don't know, May…" Deb said doubtfully.

In the center of it all, under a stained-glass chandelier, Nathan, Lucas, and Haley stood. The eye of the storm.

"Keith should be here," Lucas sighed.

"I kept thinking that when we were graduating High School. Or, at least until Haley interrupted her speech to tell me she was in labor."

"Oh, that was a moment," Luke laughed.

Nathan reached down and lifted his wife's hand to his lips. "_Great_ moment," he smiled into her eyes.

Haley felt her heart race, and blushed. "It was," she agreed.

"So," Luke interrupted. "Today, not as exciting?"

"Not as exciting," Haley mused. "But a little more satisfying, in a way. I mean, we _really_ earned these A.A. degrees."

"Associates of Science, thank you," Nathan corrected her.

"_Slacker_," Lucas teased.

"_Dude_," Nathan shook his head, chuckling.

They fell quiet, letting the conversations roll up and over them like waves.

"Scott Family?" the hostess called out. Everyone went turned at the same time and fell suddenly silent. "Scott Family, party of 15?"

Luke, Nathan, and Haley stepped forward. "That's us," Haley announced.

Luke looked at his brother and grinned. Nathan grinned back. And dropping his hand to the small of Haley's back, he led everyone down the hall to their table.


	6. Summer Interlude 2 Open Mic Night

_**Late July, Before Junior Year**_

The café was packed, probably beyond its legal capacity. The buzz of the conversations made it hard to hear as Karen approached Deb at the counter.

"We're out," Deb shouted.

"Of what?" Karen asked, pitching her voice as loud as she could.

"Everything!" Lucas answered, holding up his hands and laughing. Beside him, Lindsey shook her head at the craziness of it all. He rested an arm on his shoulder and look at the crowd, nostalgia misting his view.

"Hello?" Haley called over the mike.

People started to quiet down, and she smiled nervously.

Nathan slipped in from the back. His hair buzzed, skin deeply tanned, and body looking lean. "Hey, man," he greeted his brother. They clapped hands and pulled close for a half-hug. "Thanks for calling me. Does she know I'm coming?" He stayed out of his wife's sight, behind a column.

"No," Lucas shook his head. "She still believes you're locked in at camp."

Nathan waved to Lindsey and Karen, and lifted his chin in greeting to his mother. "Andy's watching the kids, back at home," Lucas told him.

Nate nodded and leaned forward, but could barely see Haley at the back of the crowd.

"Hi, uh…" Haley leaned into the microphone. "I've worked at this café practically my whole life and when Karen said she was leaving it for a while to travel the world," Haley shook her head. "Well, of course I was thrilled for her. But also sad for us. I think I can speak for Tree Hill when I say, I hope she has amazing adventures…and comes home, soon."

She smiled and from across the room, Karen met her eyes and mouthed 'Thank You'.

"Karen asked me kick of this last Open Mic night with a few songs, but I had to tell her that I'm really out of practice. To be honest, my repertoire these days mostly consists of T_he Wheels on the Bus_." The crowd laughed, all their attention now on the little stage set up on the corner.

"So I'm going to say that I'm _really_ lucky that an old friend, Jake Jagielski – who played here on the very first open mic night – happened to be in town visiting, and offered to help me out tonight. Thanks, Jake," The crowd clapped and a few people whistled in encouragement as Jake blushed and raised an arm in greeting. He began strumming a few chords, and Haley joined him on the keyboard. "We all wish you well, Karen," she whispered.

Jake and Haley shared a glance and then, Haley began singing; _"Blackbird singing in the dead of night; Take these broken wings and learn to fly; All your life, You were only waiting for this moment to arise…_"

In the kitchen, Nathan blinked his eyes in memory. Nodding his head slightly to the music. Luke glanced over at him, and inhaled deeply.

Jake slid his fingers up and down the frets, tapping his foot in time. As she started the next chorus, he joined his voice to hers; "_Blackbird singing in the dead of night; Take these sunken eyes and learn to see; All your life, You were only waiting for this moment to be free….Blackbird fly, blackbird fly, Into the light of the dark black night…_"

As the song faded out, the crowd erupted in applause. Karen unabashedly wiped her eyes of tears as she gazed at Haley and Jake.

Haley cleared her throat and took a sip of water. As she resettled on the stool, Jake rearranged himself behind her - accidentally hitting some off notes on the guitar. "We're still practicing!" he called out, and a lot of people chuckled.

After a moment, Haley began counting and then the melody of "October" began to drift from her piano and his guitar. "_So let me feel_," Haley sang soulfully. "_I don't care if I break down. Let me fall, even if I hit the ground. And if I cry a little, die a little, at least I know I've lived... It's October again. Leaves are coming down. One more year's come and gone; And nothing's changed at all..._"

After the applause died away, Haley took a deep breath. "Uh...actually, I was just thinking that the very first time I ever sang in public was right here. For my husband." Several dozen people started clapping and calling out Nathan's name. "Oh, you've heard of him," Haley laughed. Several people laughed with her.

Luke looked over at his brother and shook his head, smiling. Nathan shrugged, an unspoken; _What are you gonna do?_

"Well, he couldn't be here. So even though this is Karen's night and our night to celebrate this great café ...this last one is kind of for him."

People around the café began to applaud as they recognized the melody Jake played. She began singing;

"_I took my love and I took it down, I climbed a mountain and I turned around…_"

Nathan stepped forward to watch his wife closer and several people recognized him. A wave went through the crowd and she subtly searched the audience for the disturbance.

Then she saw him.

And their eyes met.

Her light voice grew husky as she blinked back a flood of emotions.

"_Oh, mirror in the sky; What is love? Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changing ocean tides, can I handle the seasons of my life…?"_

Jake nodded and leaned into the mic for the chorus; "_Well, I've been afraid of changing, 'Cause I've built my life around you. But time makes you bolder, children get older. I'm getting older too…_"

Jake played a gentle solo on the guitar as Haley watched Nathan move across the room, love in her eyes.

Nathan settled by the door. He leaned in the jamb, ignoring the folks who waved to him. Just crossed his arms, his attention glued back on Haley. She repeated the chorus, the words deep with meaning. Then Jake dialed back the volume, and let her voice caress the last stanza.

"_So, take this love - take it down. Climb a mountain and then, turn around. And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills, well, the landslide will bring it down. The landslide will bring you down…_"

After the last note faded, Haley launched herself through the crowd. Nathan caught her, holding her close and burying his face in her hair.

"You're here," she exclaimed, looking into his face for the first time in almost a month.

"You're amazing, Hales." He lifted her to his lips and kissed her soundly.

The crowd's approval echoed through the space. Jake took the vacated stool, chuckling. "They always were a hard act to follow," he complained good-naturedly into the mic.

In the back, Lucas threw back his head and let out a bark of laughter. "He's right," he agreed.

Nathan kept his wife's feet of the ground as he kissed and carried her all the way out the door and down to the sidewalk for privacy.

While Haley held on, _tight_.


	7. Maryland Junior Year

_A/N: In response to a few of your comments (And I love those comments!!) - most of these scenes have been expanded to provide more of the story. Please let me know what you think :) (and Pam211 - can you find one of the missing bits?) _

_A note about canon: I KNOW that they claim to only be 21 at the beginning of Season 5, but the continuity monkeys at OTH clearly forgot that Nathan was legally driving during season 1, and they were "still 17" (not "just 17") at their remarriage ...sigh... _

* * *

_**August, Junior Year**_

"It's only gonna get worse, isn't it?" Haley asked, unpacking the last of Jamie's clothes into the dresser.

"Haley," Nathan sighed, leaning in the doorway. "You gotta understand - new school, new coach, new level of commitment here... I mean, I'm still playing catch-up everyday just to get up to speed…"

"_You_?" she bit out.

"OK, how can I make this better?"

"You can't, Nathan. You just…_can't_." She pulled the box apart violently, flattening it and sliding it on top of a pile.

She groaned and sat down in a heap on the floor. Nathan kneeled in front of Haley; "Talk to me," he entreated.

"_It's just so much_," she confessed. "This is a nice dorm room, Nathan, but in case you hadn't noticed – the walls are thin and we're surrounded by 500 other undergrads who _never sleep_!"

Nathan reached out, but she shook off his hand. "And all these crazy NCAA rules - you can only have a job at certain times, for certain amounts. The school can only give us so much in help. And, fine, I don't mind working – except, of course, Jamie _does _because there's no childcare," she shook her head. "And you have to put in so many hours at the ASCDU between study table and tutoring and..."

She waved her hands to show the enormity of it all. "…Practice, pickup games, curfews, interviews, conditioning, prep, studying the playbook, studying for classes, exhibition games, random testing, eligibility reviews, counseling, coaching…" her voice trailed off into a little sob.

Nathan reached out and wrapped his arms around her, this time not letting her pull away. He tucked her head under his jaw, and kissed her hair.

"We were apart practically the whole summer and I just thought, once we got to school, that we'd finally have some real time together but _I never see you_," she whispered into his chest. "We need you, Nathan. Jamie misses you. _I_ miss you. And it's only our second week here."

"No such thing as an off-season any more," he agreed softly. "Not at this level."

It was the wrong thing to say. Haley winced and tried to pull back.

"Hell," Nathan swore. He tipped her face up, "Look, maybe this isn't worth it. We happy at Gilmore, right? I mean, most of the time? Maybe…"

She looked at his blue eyes and shook her head softly. "What?"

"I don't _know_, Hales. But whatever you're thinking – unless it's all three of us living together, then the answer is 'No'. If it's too much, then we walk away as a family."

Haley groaned in protest.

"I knew it was selfish, to have you with me in this life," he confessed softly, almost a whisper. "I knew it that night, I just…" he sighed.

"I was soaked to the skin, and a little crazy for you."

"A little?" his lips twitched in a small smile. "I know you think I asked you to get married without thinking it through - but before the words came out of my mouth, I _did_ think, OK? Dan had been telling me my whole life how it was gonna be, and I could see it. In my mind, clear as day. And it was fine, you know? I pictured Duke and the NBA. I pictured the games, the crowds, even the long nights on the bus. Then I tried picturing it without you, and all the rest of it just faded out of my head. I couldn't see it any more."

She reached up and stroked his face with her hand.

"Haley, if we can't do it – then _we_ can't. This is a lot to handle and it's not fair the way most of it falls on you, especially with Jamie and, well, everything. You gotta know - you are the truest thing in my world. You and Jamie. And I will _always_ protect you. So if this is too much, tell me. Just say the word."

She nodded, slowly. The tears drifted down her face, and she pushed them away with the heel of her hand.

"Hales?" He prompted, searching her expression for a sign to her thoughts.

She exhaled in a long, slow gust. "That's not fair, Nathan. You can't just put it on me, to decide your future."

"Oh," he countered, "so you missed that part of the ceremony – both times?"

"Oh," she echoed, collapsing against him. "I'm too exhausted and frustrated to have this conversation."

"Haley…" he shook his head.

She met his gaze. They fell quiet for a moment. "OK," she said, softly.

"OK?"

"OK, I'm in."

He sat back on his heels and looked at her face intently. "Hales," he sighed.

"I'm _all_ in," she said firmly. "I guess I can draw up a list of what we need, and go to the advisor. See what kind of help there is."

"_We_ can," he prompted her with a crooked smile.

"This is my dream, too," she whispered. "To have everything for this family. But sometimes, it's just so much harder than I could have imagined."

He nodded. A part of Nathan screamed that he had it so much harder than she could even understand. He wanted to tell her that he was afraid that he wouldn't get any minutes in the games, that they were saying he couldn't have his number, that every muscle and bone in his body was sore. Then a little memory came floating back to him. A split second:

"_I'm Dallas from Epic Records. She's talented. I gotta be honest though; it's a shame she's not touring - she must really love you."_

He sat back, and pulled Haley into his lap. "Are you sure?"

"I reserve the right to have a breakdown from time to time," she laughed, wiping the last of her tears from her face.

"I'm fine with that. I've had one or two myself, if you remember," he gave her a wry smile.

"Well, you said you never wanted normal," she reminded him.

"I still don't. I want _us_, Hales. If it gets too much, we have to work it out. No dream is worth losing this family over."

"Amen," she agreed, resting her head against his shoulder.

He kissed her hair again, and then her forehead, lifting a hand to rub her back.

She gave him a curious look.

"You said you were frustrated," he reminded her with a lift of his eyebrows.

"Ah," she remembered. "And exhausted."

"Well, let's deal with these things one at a time," Nathan dragged his hand up her belly and kissed her neck, gently. "I want you," he told her against her lips.

"I want you, too," she exhaled, turning in his arms and letting him lower her all the way to the floor. Nathan's eyes grew dark with desire; he sat up long enough to tug off his shirt and then let her pull him back over her body.

From the living room came a long, loud wail. "Mommy! Daddy!!"

With a frustrated groan, Nathan lifted himself up onto his elbows. "Maybe if we're really quiet…"

"MOMMY! DADDY! MOMMYDADDY!?"

"You _know_ he can get out of that playpen now…" she sighed, throwing her arm over her eyes. "You better let me up."

"No," he argued, kissing her collarbone before pushing himself to stand. "Go to bed, Hales. At least one of us should," he gave her a flirty, rueful look.

"Nathan, it's OK…" she argued, taking his hand to stand up, as well.

A small thud came from the other room and they both shook their heads. "You sleep," he insisted. "Things'll get better - starting now. I promise."

Her deep affection for him reflected in her face. "I love you so much," he declared, as she headed back to their bedroom.

"I love you, too," she answered, softly. Then he headed towards his impatient son with tired bones, and a hopeful heart.

_**November, Junior Year**_

"It's 6 hours to Maryland, we've got a full tank of gas, a half a pack of cigarettes, our sunglasses, and it's dark outside – hit it," Lindsey laughed.

"We don't smoke," Luke looked at her quizzically.

"There ain't a cloud in the sky from where I'm sitting," Skills peered out the window from the backseat.

"I lost my shades," Fergie mumbled.

"I think it's from a movie," Mouth explained from the 3rd row of the rented Suburban.

"Yeah?" Junk asked. "Which one?"

All 5 guys turned to look at Lindsey in the front passenger seat. "Oh, man," she sighed. "Really? You're making me look really old."

They waited.

"Blues Brothers!" she finally exclaimed, waving her hands.

The guys lasted about 2 seconds before exploding in laughter.

"What?" Lindsey looked around, not quite getting it.

"Move 'em on, head 'em up. Head 'em up, move 'em out…" Luke winked at her.

"Move 'em on, head 'em out…RAWHIDE!" the other guys began singing loudly.

"Oh, _dawg_," Skills leaned forward and patted Luke's shoulder. "This one's _fun_," indicating Lindsey.

"Oh, very funny," she laughed, blushing slightly.

"Tip off's in less than 7 hours, Luke," Mouth shouted the reminder.

He nodded and pulled the car out of his driveway, heading towards the highway north.

"He's still not listed in the starting line-up," Fergie read from the local paper. "I don't know if they're gonna let him off the bench. First game, what do you think?"

Luke shrugged.

"Did Coach Williams talk to him about redshirting this year?" Skills asked.

"He didn't say," Lucas responded, turning towards the on-ramp. "I mean, not that Nathan felt he had a lot of choices, but I don't think he would have signed so fast if they'd hinted at having him sit out the year."

"How's he doing with the flex?" Skills inquired, leaning forward.

"He'd be doing better if Whitey had used it back in our day," Luke exhaled. "But he says that camp and fall training have really expanded his game. In fact, he's sounds great."

"The Terps need upperclassman power this year, so you got to think – Nate's there to play," Skills considered.

"Hope so," Junk grumbled. "Else I'm sitting in this car for nothing."

Skills leaned back, reached over, and hit the back of Junk's head. The other guys laughed at his outraged expression.

"Yeah, well, Bevin dumped your ass," Junk tossed back.

The guys fell quiet. "What?" Lucas demanded.

"Is that true?" Mouth asked.

"Yeah," Skills said softly. "It's true." He gave Junk a dirty look and then shook his head. "But that ain't the worst part…" He hung his head for a second. "She's with _Tim_."

"What the…" Luke almost ran off the road. "Tim _Smith_? THE Tim? 'Has no free throw' Tim?"

"That's him," Skills confirmed.

"_What the hell_?" Fergie looked at him, bug-eyed.

"I mean, how does that even _happen_?" Mouth wondered.

"Oh, man…" Skills sighed. "It went like this; y'all know college and Bevin didn't work out?"

The guys groaned the affirmative, having heard the tales.

"So she got a job at that fancy department store. One night I get a call, you know. She says they were all working late and ordered a pizza, and guess who delivered it?"

"Tim delivers pizza?" Mouth asked.

"Didn't I just say so?" Skills retorted. "So, end of the night she goes out to her car to drive home and it won't start. So who does she call?"

"Oh, this isn't good," Luke sighed.

"I know," Skills sighed. "It's _all_ bad, this story. But, you know, here's the thing – last two years, we've been keeping it loose. You know, road trips and text messages. When we can. I knew it wasn't enough, man; I knew she was lonely, I just didn't think…"

"_Tim_," Lucas moaned.

"I can almost handle thinking, you know, we never gonna be together again. But…."

"_Tim_," Lucas moaned again.

"Yeah, you're feeling my pain, now."

Lucas held his hand up over the headrest and Skills grabbed it for a moment. "We're here for you Skills."

"Absolutely," Mouth and Fergie agreed.

Junk just gave him a look.

Skills gave him a look back, and they settled on their respective sides of the bench seat.

"How's Haley doing?" Lindsey asked softly a while later, when the guys had each settled into riding stupors with their iPods.

"Uh, all right," Luke exhaled. "They moved to an off-campus apartment in the same house as some of the other guys on the team and I get the impression that's been a _big_ improvement. The lack of campus daycare is still killing them, though. She's got Jamie in a program down the street; she says it's great but it means she can't drop in on him during the day between classes," he shook his head slowly.

"You wish you were there to help," Lindsey guessed.

"I do," he admitted. "And I miss my nephew; he's great."

She nodded in understanding and reached over to put her hand over his on the armrest. He squeezed it and flashed her a brief smile. "Thanks, Lindz," he told her.

"For what?"

"For what?" he scoffed. "Uh, let's see. To start, for editing my book into a bestseller. For shepherding me and it through all the craziness of the last year since its release. For believing that I have another book in me, and bugging me to write a treatment. Oh, and most recently - for flying down here this week just to turn around and go North again, for setting up this extremely prestigious guest reading for me tomorrow so I can be there for my brother's first game tonight, for renting _two_ big hotel rooms," he glanced back at the guys meaningfully, "and a car to take us in that just happens to seat 6 comfortably."

"I don't know what you mean, it's all in the job description."

"And is this?" Glancing away from the road for a split-second he kissed her hard and fast.

"That's just a serendipitous benefit to dating my favorite author," she answered with a small smile. "But, uh, they _do_ know that they're all sharing the _other_ room – not ours, right?"

"They know," he assured her, entwining their fingers.

"Yeah, we know," Mouth called from the back.

"Good," she gave a little chuckle and settled back for the ride.

_**January, Junior Year**_

As they stepped through the stone arches into the vestibule, they fell silent. Lucas looked over at his best friend and she looked back.

"Damn," Luke swore softly. "It's like a church."

"It is," she agreed, rubbing her hands together as thought she was cold.

He looked at her curiously, "I…uh…I'm surprised Royal isn't here. I mean…this was his dream for like, two generations."

"He couldn't get a ticket; did you see the guys in the tents just hoping to get one?"

"K-Ville," Luke supplied. "They call that area where people live while waiting to get tickets K-Ville, after Coach K…"

"I _know_," she exhaled. "Because even though this school is richer than Microsoft, they don't '_do'_ online purchasing here. Totally old fashioned. And even scalped tickets are hard to get, so…"

"You gave me his ticket," Luke realized.

"I gave you _your_ ticket," she corrected. "There was never any question." She fumbled with her phone. "Think I should check on Deb and Jamie once more before we go into all that craziness?"

"I think 4 times is enough," he laughed. "Jamie's really bright for two and a half; if she goes nuts – "

"_Again_," Haley added.

"- I think Jamie wouldn't just dial 911, he'd administer first aid."

"That picture does not help, Luke," she said, but her teasing tone softened the rebuke. "I wish, this first time he plays against…"

"I know," he interrupted. She drifted out of his space, towards their section, and he followed.

It was a wall of sound. It slammed into them, practically lifting Haley's hair off her shoulders. Luke actually took a step back, his hand over his heart.

"Holy.._shit_!" his eyes grew wide as he looked around.

"Oh…my….God…" Haley agreed, turning in the aisle to take in the wall-to-wall humanity. It was a sea of blue and voices and faces, instantly dizzying and disorienting.

Luke gently nudged her, and they found their seats. "Wow," he whistled.

Haley fingered a chain around her neck and looked around, astounded. "Maryland's stadium is twice big, and half as loud," she had to shout so he could hear her.

"I know," he yelled back, his eyes huge with astonishment.

Soon, the sound raised another decibel as the announcer began announcing the visiting team. "….Number 23, Nathan Scott!..."

Haley's heart twisted as she saw him jog onto the court. Around her, the 'Cameron Crazies' shouted "Hi NATHAN!" as though they all knew him.

She looked over at Luke and wrinkled her nose; "Tradition," he explained.

From the tip off, it was clear that it was going to be a fast-breaking and physical game. The audience noise barely abated. When Duke caught an early lead, Haley gripped her hands together, and watched her husband intently. His bright red shirt billowed as he moved up and down the boards, ignoring the legions of blue-painted faces and hands that would reach at him from behind the barricade wherever he went.

"He's staying cool," Luke noted.

"Coach has been on him about his temper," Haley admitted. "But Nathan's always been focused when it gets intense in the game. It's the personal stuff that makes him nuts."

"Yeah," he looked at her, a little surprised by her easy appraisal of her husband. As he truly examined his sister-in-law, he realized with a start that she'd grown up in a way since high school in a way he hadn't noticed before. Not just tiny lines around the eyes or the return to the darker hair color – but a steadiness in her expression, a calmness in the way she handled herself.

"What?" she asked, unnerved by his appraisal.

"You look good," he said. "Strong."

"Yeah?" she cocked her head and met his gaze.

"Yeah," he nodded, smiling.

She dimpled, pleased, before turning her attention back to the game. As the minutes wound down, the Terps pulled a recovery out of their hat. Visiting the bench, Nathan wiped his face, gulped a swallow of Gatorade, and looked around. Then he nodded to Haley, and stood. Within moments, he was back in the game.

"He _couldn't_ have just picked us out -not in this crowd!" Luke announced in disbelief.

"No," she confessed. "But he figures out where I'll be sitting before every game. Even if he can't see me, he knows where I am."

"Oh," Luke answered, surprised.

"Hey, you know he did it at Gilmore, too," she reminded him.

"Well, I always thought he just _saw_ you," Luke admitted.

"Uh…?" she laughed. "Since high school, he's always checked where I'll be. When I was cheering, it was easy. But those days are _gone_," she indicated the nearly 8,000 people with her hand.

As the game tied up and headed into final minutes, the crowd once again grew so loud that Luke and Haley could barely hear each other even if they shouted.

The teams traded points, neither one successfully holding the ball against the clock after making a basket. The action raced up and down the court at a dizzying speed, the guys very edgy and keeping the ball in constant motion.

Taking possession, Nathan pumped the ball for a fadeaway and was immediately fouled. The crowd hollered in disappointment, the sound bouncing of the walls and deafening Haley and Luke.

"It'll be two," Luke muttered, looking over at the scoreboard. The Terps were behind by 1, with 8 seconds left in the game.

Sure enough, Nathan was awarded 2 free throws and the players took their positions by the basket. The first throw fell into the net in a clean arc. Nathan nodded to himself as he accepted the ball for a second shot.

Haley gripped her hands together again, as though praying.

Luke thought, maybe she was. And maybe it wouldn't hurt.

Taking a breath, Nathan made the throw.

The ball flew, and with a tiny sound they couldn't hear…slipped right into the net and down to the floor.

Haley and Luke stood as one, screaming in joy.

On the court, play had already resumed. The _entire_ audience was on its feet, now; the seconds slipping like sand as Duke ran the ball down the court. It came down to a Hail Mary toss by a Duke player at the buzzer, deep in 3-point territory, and the crowd shrieking itself hoarse as it flew through the air.

And bounced off the backboard, landing innocently near the sidelines.

"Oh, God," Haley whispered, her hands over her lips and trying not to cry.

"They did it!" Luke exclaimed, picking Haley up and swinging her close before dropping her to high-5 the handful of other Terp fans that had been sitting near them. "Nathan did it!" he shouted happily to Haley.

On the court, his teammates piled on Nathan in a sweaty celebration. Shouting their joy, they slapped each other's hands and held their arms up in victory.

Haley looked down at him, her face a mirror of all her emotions.

And Nathan looked up, to where she stood. He nodded again and gave a crooked smile she knew was meant for her.

Luke wrapped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed.

It was long time before Lucas and Haley could exit the stadium and begin making their way to the interview rooms where the press conferences were already underway.

After what seemed like forever, the players began exiting. Nathan was one of the last, a full 15 minutes after most of the rest of the guys. He was freshly showered and dressed.

When he saw his brother, he reached out his hand to pull him close for a half-hug. "Oh, _man_," Lucas told his brother. "That was a _great_ game. I can't believe you guys beat Duke. Talk about… well, you were amazing, bro."

"Thanks," Nathan nodded. "I gotta admit, that win felt _good_," he grinned.

Then he grabbed his wife and kissed her, his expression relaxing at the sight of her face. "I second that," she told him. "Great game. Was Coach pleased?"

"Is he ever?" Nathan laughed. "But as far as the rivalry goes, he's happy about giving them a loss at home – that's a big one. And Media went all right. Kept my feet out of my mouth, anyway." He pulled her close, sliding his hand around her neck. A moment later, a chain was dangling from his fingertips.

She reached up and pulled it open, letting a heavy gold ring fall to her palm. Nathan quickly slid it on his finger where it belonged. "Our boy's good?"

"With your mom," she assured him.

"And you?"

"Happy. You?"

"Happy."

They held hands and Luke followed them down the path the other players had taken towards a side exit. As they neared the door, Haley slipped a step back with Lucas. A small crowd was gathered and began calling out Nathan's name.

He stepped forward and began signing programs and reacting to comments. Some fans, clearly Duke, heckled him but the Security guys kept a stern eye and by and large the group was appreciative and polite.

"You're from the Tree Hill area?" Nate responded to a teenager who asked him to sign a team photo. "There's a practice court down by the river…"

"You play?" Nathan asked as he moved on to a couple of kids who held out their program for him to sign.

"Yeah," the taller one announced.

"I'm better!" the shorter one argued.

"Let me guess," Nathan chuckled. "Brothers?"

"Yes," their father admitted, clapping a hand on each of their shoulders. "Great game, Nathan. Those free throws…"

"Yeah," Nathan nodded and finished, handing back the booklet. "Thank you." He looked at the taller boy; "You going to hit the weights?"

"You bet," the boy agreed.

Nathan bent down and looked at the shorter boy. "Practice your free throws," he advised. "Until you can hit 20 in a row. And they'll save a red shirt for you at Maryland."

"But I wanna play for Duke," the kid responded.

"Then you better _watch out_ for the red shirts," Nathan laughed, giving the boy a high-5.

Luke and Haley followed Nathan to the bus door. He clapped hands with his brother again. "Thanks for coming, man," he said. "It meant a lot."

"Of course," Luke assured him.

"Kiss you later?" he asked his wife.

"Absolutely," she promised. "See you at home."

Luke and Haley waved as Nate boarded and waited in the lot until the bus pulled out a few minutes later. Then they finally headed to Luke's car, strolling through the picturesque campus in silence.

It wasn't until they hit the highway towards Tree Hill that Luke finally said; "That was _us_."

"What?"

"When you and Nate were first married, we took our first trip together – you know, as brothers."

"Bobcats and an HCM test, that you _didn't_ take," she remembered.

Luke nodded. "After the game, we went to get Emeka Okafor's autograph. And he talked to us, just like Nate talked to those boys."

Haley looked at her best friend by the dim illumination of the dashboard lights.

"You know, junior year – there was a magic that started. I don't know what it was, but that was when I started jotting down notes for the book. And sometimes, wow," he shook his head, rubbing his cheek with one hand as he thought. "Sometimes, Hales, it is so damn amazing the lives we're living."

She nodded, slowly.

He reached out and took her hand. "Sometimes I feel like, in all this, I might lose you," he confessed.

"Oh, no," she argued. "It was a rough transition to Maryland. I know we all got so close at Gilmore and I haven't texted or emailed much…"

Luke pulled over at the bottom of the exit and stopped the car. "OK, first of all - why do say that?"

"Say what?"

"That we weren't family until Gilmore. You've said it before and..."

"Because, I don't know..."

"I've just always thought that you and me, Hales, we've been connected to each other since we were _8_. And then it's like, I don't know, you didn't..."

"It's Nathan and Jamie, Luke," she spoke right over him. "It was_ us,_"she made a circle with her hand in the air. "Not _us,"_ she pointed to him and then herself.

"Wha-"

"You have been my one and only best friend since I was old enough to have one, and you always will be. And after Junior Year in high school, you and Nathan started to really be brothers. But it was Gilmore that made us a _family_, you know? We had the tree that you guys had to get into the apartment using a rope and pulley system! We had the mismatched furniture I rearranged weekly, and ten dozen macaroni and cheese dinners, and 6 different bottles of shampoo in the shower that were all empty, and rock-paper-scissors for the really bad diapers! We had the Scott Family, party of 4 at Red Robin on Thursday nights, Luke. And we'll never be just one or two again. THAT'S what I mean."

"Oh," he rubbed his cheek.

"Damn, you're slow sometimes," she huffed.

"Yeah," he agreed. He thought about it. "You're right, you know? Having a history with you, and half the same gene pool as Nathan - it was a start. But now..."

"Yeah," she echoed. "Family."

He nodded, and they locked eyes for a long moment. "Tell me we're OK," he urged.

"We're OK," she promised.

"Tonight, I just…realized how far apart our lives could become if we let them," he admitted.

"Then we won't let them."

He looked into her eyes, as if looking for something. Then he let her pull him into a soft embrace.

"So," she asked at last. "What now?"

"Let's go save Jamie from Deb," Luke suggested, re-starting the car.

"Or vice-versa," she laughed.

Luke smiled and pulled back onto the road, aimed for home.

_**May, Junior Year**_

"Hey buddy!" Nathan called, closing the door to the apartment behind him. Jamie was already running to him, having heard the key in the lock. Nathan quickly scooped him up into his arms.

"Daddy!"

"Jamie!" Nate answered, smiling.

"Hi," Haley smiled, wiping her hands as she followed her son out. She kissed Nathan and hugged them both. "How did it go?"

"Good," he said, smiling. "All my hours are officially in for the semester."

"Oh, wow, honey," she kissed him again. "That's _amazing_. Did they tell you…"

"2.9-ish GPA," he answered immediately. "Eligible, on track to graduate, and done with classes until next fall," he breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"I am so happy for you," she cheered. "I just wish I didn't still have a final - plus I'm on shifts at the tutoring center until Friday."

"OK, then I'll take Jamie for a few days. Get some Dad/Son time in."

"Yay!" Jamie cried, wrapping his arms around his father's face.

"And then…" Haley wrinkled her nose. "Go on, say it."

"_Three weeks_ until I report to camp. Three weeks with no hours, no training, no work, no school, no camp…"

"Oh, I love it when you talk like that," she sighed happily.

"And…" he cleared his throat.

"Oh, what do you have up your sleeve?"

He leered and carried his son off to play. "You'll see!" he called, amusement in his voice.

A week later, they stood on the beach watching the waves crash under the moon.

"It's beautiful, Nathan." Haley breathed the ocean air. Then she glanced back at the house, "But a little strange."

"Dan's locked away a long time," Nathan sighed. "His lawyers were always saying that if Lucas and I ever wanted to use it…" He wrapped his arms around her from behind. "At first, it sort of felt like a betrayal to Keith and, you know, Luke, to take them up on the offer. But we had some good memories here, you know?"

"We did," she agreed. "If you're all right with being here then, you know, I'm all right, too," she reflected.

"Good, because I am _definitely_ OK being here with you," he exhaled deeply into her hair.

They watched the heat lightning far off over the water and sipped their beers. The cans were cool, the fine layer of sand on the boardwalk was rough under their feet, and a slight breeze played on their faces. After a long moment, Nathan looked at his can, a curious expression on his face.

"What?"

"I bought this legally," Nathan snickered. "All these years I've been buying from this store with a fake I.D. and today I walked in the guy didn't even blink. 'Hey,' he said."

"So?"

"Hales, I've been 21 to that guy for like 6 years," he shook his head.

"Oh, God, you don't think that when Jamie's…"

"He just THREE!" Nathan ridiculed his wife. "Give him a few years before you worry about fake I.D.'s, hmmm?"

"You're right," she laughed at herself.

"Tell me what you're thinking," he asked, leaning over the railing and looking back at her face under the light.

"Jamie," she admitted. "I know he's fine. I mean, a week with his Uncle Lucas is like Disneyland for him. But…this will be the longest I've ever been away from him since he was born."

"I don't know if I tell you this often enough," he answered after some thought. "But you are a _great_ mother, Haley. It amazes me sometimes, how you make this really stable, calm world for him. Where everything is safe, and he feels completely free to just be whoever he's going to be."

She wrapped an arm around his waist and looked up at his face, "Thank you. I feel the same way about you, you know. Sometimes I really don't know how you do it – switch gears so that you can put down the ball and just be his _dad_. But you always do, you always find a way and I really admire that."

He reached down and kissed her softly. "Thanks," he whispered.

She raised herself up onto her tiptoes and kissed him back, dropping her can on the boardwalk and wrapping both her arms around his neck.

As he reached into her hair, he felt something splash on his face. They broke off the kiss and looked up. In the light beams, they could see the streams of rain began to pour over them.

"Oh, no…" she grinned, delighted.

"Oh, _yes_," he declared, pulling her tight to his chest and leaning down again. And the skies opened up with a loud crackling boom to rain down on their kisses as they laughed, and loved.


	8. Maryland Senior Year

_A/N: The accident is coming in a summer interlude. Please R/R - don't make me come back there!  
_

* * *

_**August, Senior Year**_

As they burst through the door, they came to a skidding stop.

"Whoa," Lucas whistled.

"Well?" Haley asked, stepping closer so they could see her better. "What do you think?"

"Hales?" Nathan's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Where's your hair?"

"I cut it," she stated the obvious, reaching up and self-consciously fluffing it.

"Uh…" Nathan didn't know what to say. Luke turned and gave him a dirty look. "It's different," he finally added.

"You don't like it," she accused.

"I wasn't expecting it," he restated, stepping closer.

"Well, it was my first day as a teaching assistant down at the Kindergarten and there was…Play Doh."

"Play Doh?"

"A lot of it. Don't ask," she grimaced, wiping her hand across the air as if erasing the story. "Anyway, I just went in to the hairdresser and, well,…"

Lucas shook his head, a gentle smile on his face. "It looks great, Hales, really."

"Yeah," Nathan agreed slowly, wrapping an arm around his wife and kissing the top of her head. "It'll just take some getting used to it, that's all. But it's nice."

"OK," Lucas clapped his hands together. "So was this what you wanted to talk about?"

"No," Haley stepped back from Nathan and wiped her cheeks. "Let me get it." She moved over to the desk. "Hey – how'd you like your workout?"

"The workout was brutal," Lucas admitted. "But I _love_ the Comcast Center. I'm moving there. Seriously - Nathan showed me the suites, and I'm claiming one."

Haley giggled. "Yeah, well, the players may have something to say about that when they want to take one of their naps."

"Naps?!"

"Shut up, man," Nathan warned good-naturedly, tossing his brother a power drink from the small fridge and opening one for himself.

"Here it is," Haley put a large manila envelope into Luke's hands.

Luke put down the bottle and sifted through the contents. "Contacts and pitches from Agents…Business cards for Lawyers…Shoe companies…Wait - is this a proposal for a shoe named after _you_?" he looked up at his brother.

"Yeah," Nathan confirmed, a satisfied expression on his face.

"Oh, my _God_…" Luke inhaled, reading the papers. "Nate…are these numbers right?"

"Yeah," he repeated.

"_Millions_?"

Nate and Haley exchanged a look. "Well, King James got 100 mil for his."

"Yeah, but…." Lucas exhaled. "_Damn_."

"Now you know how I felt, seeing your name on the bestseller list."

"Let's safely assume I didn't get millions," Luke laughed, still astounded. "So. What are you going to do about it?"

"_That's_ why we called," Haley put her hands up in the air.

"Look, man, I even look at that thing wrong and I'll lose my eligibility for this season."

"We need a lawyer. A very non-agent kind of lawyer. To deal with the shoe people until Nathan can sign after the season's over. And field the rest of it."

"So…" his brother asked. "Know any good lawyers?"

"The one Lindsey found for me is good."

"Wait, Lindsey got you the lawyer that ended up negotiating the contract with _her father's_ company?"

Luke chuckled. "Yeah, and he kicked ass, too."

"Will you dial him up for us?" Nathan asked.

"First thing tomorrow," Luke promised. He grinned and then his eyes went somber as he met his brother's gaze. "You deserve this, you know. Both of you. When I think of how hard you've worked, _damn_. I'm proud of you, bro."

Nathan nodded and pulled Luke close in one of their patented half hugs. "Thanks."

Luke stared back down at the proposal. "They better be _really_ great shoes."

"They will, and I'm _so_ getting a new car the minute that thing is signed."

Luke dropped his head back and chuckled. "Let me guess – no cassette player?"

"Oh, _hell_, no," Nathan agreed, laughing.

Haley wrinkled her nose, her eyes flashing with amusement. "Holiday…"

"NO!" The brothers yelled, tackling her and covering her mouth.

"Ice Cream day!" She managed between Luke's fingers as they howled in protest. "Ice! Cream! DAY!"

_**October, Senior Year**_

**Sports Illustrated College Basketball, Q&A with ... Maryland's Nathan Scott**

_We chatted with Maryland's Nathan Scott, the Terp's co-captain from Tree Hill, NC who's averaged 23.8 points and 10.7 assists per game, and finished last season with a box score that featured 16 double-doubles. The following is an edited transcript of a conversation with Scott from late last week:_

SI: Your last game of last season, you made what is one of the most contested blocks in recent history when you pinned the underarm toss of DeShawn Marshall, Boston College, against the backboard. The video of it has gone viral.

NS: It's become legendary. There's a lot of people who still come up to me and say it was goaltending but it's always been in the rules that you can pin the ball as long as it's on it's way up but not over the rim.

SI: Rarely seen and even more rarely done legally. Have you pulled it off before?

NS: A couple of times in High School and at Gilmore. Definitely during some pickup games. And I did it to my brother, once.

SI: Once?

NS: (Laughs) He was ready for it after that.

SI: That the same brother that went on to coach your Freshman and Sophomore years at Gilmore?

NS: Yes. Lucas Scott.

SI: He was the only student Head Coach in the Division. What it do for or against your game to have him coaching you?

NS: I've been pretty fortunate. Coach (Brian) Durham has over 500 wins and is pretty easily one of the best coaches you'll find. He brought me through High School and right up to the Division Finals during my freshman year. Sophomore year, we knew going in exactly what we wanted. The coach, the team – we were all on the same page shooting for another title. We had a strong foundation to work from and Coach Scott, my brother, had a strong vision for the team to bring that home – which we did.

When I got to Maryland, Coach (Gary) Williams immediately raised the bar. He asked if I was ready to train for a whole new level and, of course, I was. The late nights, the effort, it is all worth it to be part of this team.

SI: In one of the first interviews after you came to Maryland, Coach Williams said that in recruiting you, he'd found his Bob Cousy. How'd that feel?

NS: To be compared with a superstar player like Cousy, that was huge.

SI: Was it hard to transition to being the 6th man?

NS: Not really. Coach Williams gave me a lot of minutes right from the beginning, so whether I was starting or not – I really felt I was there to make a key contribution to the team. When he began starting me as wing mid-season, it was probably more in my comfort zone. But the experience definitely broadened my game, so I'm grateful.

SI: We heard there was some problem with signing your letter of intent.

NS: Yeah, well. It was kind of funny. They want someone under 21 to have a parent or guardian co-sign, regardless of whether you're married or whatever. Except I've been emancipated since I was 16, and there was no parent or guardian available. The rules said it couldn't be any of the school administrators or my coach, which ruled out my brother, and they also ruled out my wife.

SI: It brings up images of you going door-to-door looking for someone to co-sign.

NS: It almost came to that. We worked with the Policy & Review Committee and eventually they accepted my former coach as co-signer. We drove round-trip like 6 hours on the second signing day to get his signature. Later, they told me we could have faxed it to him.

SI: You were once destined for Duke and now you play for one of their rivals in the conference. Think that's why the Cameron Crazies put so much effort into heckling you?

NS: I think they put a lot of effort into heckling everyone who poses a threat to their team.

SI: So you don't take it personally.

NS: I don't think it's meant personally. I mean, there's always some people who take it to that level – who ambush you as you're getting on the bus or whatever. And that kind of stuff is out of line. But the Crazies are true fans; they're just looking to put the heat on the guys who might get in the way of a Duke win.

SI: What's the best thing they've called you?

NS: Babyface.

SI: A couple of your teammates do have interesting beards.

NS: Yeah. Greivis has this barber who just really works at coming up with new crazy things to do with his facial hair.

SI: Not your cup of tea?

NS: I think it's a riot on them. Not for me, though. No.

SI: Anything else they've called you?

NS: Vanilla Ice.

SI: You're not making a happy face.

NS: I'm not gonna say anything more, because I'm back at Cameron next month.

SI: All right. Then tell us what's it like to go in front of the Duke team – and win, like you did so notably your first time facing them?

NS: There's no denying that Duke is a great team. I respect Coach K and what he's done for college basketball as a whole. Growing up in North Carolina, his stature there is amazing – as it should be. Competition with a team like that does nothing but good things for you. Making that winning free throw is a moment I'm never going to forget.

SI: At home games, Maryland's Athletic Director cited bad language as the reason she has banned the use of Gary Glitter's Rock n' Roll Number 2…

NS: Just the recorded version. The band can play it.

SI: And the fans sing the along with the words, which are…

NS: "Hey, you suck" is most of it.

SI: Do you agree with decision to ban the recording?

NS: Not for me to say. Most other schools use it without a problem, but Maryland isn't most schools. And I think it's had this sort of unintended benefit because it really riles up the fans, which is great. We've got awesome fans.

SI: OK, switching gears: why number 23?

NS: It started in peewee leagues, I was a huge Michael Jordan fan. It stuck after that, and I've had great luck with it.

SI: It's pretty unheard of not to change around numbers through a career. You've never worn another?

NS: Uh, my brother's. After he was diagnosed with HCM, I wore his shirt to finish a game after mine got ruined. It definitely had the magic – and the right name on the back.

SI: What number?

NS: 3. My uncle, who died when I was in High School, he wore 22 – which I would also definitely consider if 23 was unavailable. But for now, I'm sticking with what works.

SI: Now you're 21 years old and in your 4th year, on a team heavy with freshmen and sophomores. What's the dynamic like?

NS: The freshmen and sophomores like to go out and mix it up, sure. But we've got a really good group of guys. They came to Maryland ready to play and to prove themselves. Whatever the lifestyles off the court, once we walk into the Comcast Center for practice or a game – we're a team, man. We're pretty tight.

SI: You don't "mix it up"?

NS: Oh, I wouldn't say that. But I've got a family that comes first.

SI: End of last season, you were named to All-ACC third team. Last week, you were named to preseason All-ACC first team. What changed?

NS: I think a combination of seniors graduating and the work I did last summer and this fall. I've worked really hard to bring me and my teammates to a peak level of athleticism. I think this could be our championship year. I really do.

SI: You want to win it all?

NS: Absolutely. That's why I'm here.

_**December, Senior Year**_

Nathan tried to slip down the aisle unobtrusively as he looked for his family. Spotting them, he ducked down a row to take the empty seat next to Luke.

"Practice went long," he explained to his brother. "What'd I miss?"

On the other side of Lucas, Haley leaned forward to smile at her husband and Nathan smiled back. Deb reached over and touched his arm in greeting.

"OK," Luke explained softly, "Once upon a time, there was Mary and Joseph and…"

"I _know_ the story," Nathan elbowed his brother. "Where are we?"

"You didn't miss much. He's about to make his entrance," Haley cut in, indicating the little stage.

Several children dressed in shepherd's robes stepped onto the stage, surrounded by others dressed as animals and a couple of trees.

"He's the third sheep from the right," Haley whispered to them proudly.

"The one with green antlers?" Deb squinted.

"They were out of brown felt," Haley defended. Luke and Nathan smothered their explosions of laughter.

An older child, dressed as an angel, stepped into the center of the stage and the rest of the cast all bowed clumsily.

"Yo! I mean, uh, LO!" the angel shouted.

"Oh, we are sore afraid!" one of the shepherds screamed back.

"Be NOT afraid!" the angel continued. "For I have GOOD tidings. The Savior is born, to bring peace and goodwill!!"

Reggae music began to play, piped through the small speakers hung from the walls.

"I _think_ I'm sober, but I'm hearing…Bob Marley?" Deb looked around, confused.

The children began to clap randomly. Their teacher stood in front of the stage and pointed, and they began to sing and yell; "_This is my message to you-ou-ou! Don't worry about a thing, because every little thing gonna be all right! Don't worry about a thing, 'cuz every little thing gonna be all right!_"

Lucas and Nathan almost slipped to the floor in hysterics.

The child trampled off the stage and the audience applauded enthusiastically. Nathan sat up straighter in his seat and looked over at his wife; "Tell me you had nothing to do with this."

"Just the costume," she promised with a grin.

The lights came back up on the manger scene. In small groups, the rest of the cast came back on stage: the shepherds, animals, and finally Jamie. He had traded his antlers for a crown and robe and was carrying a treasure chest full of plastic gold. He took his place with the other Magi as Mary presented the baby doll playing Jesus, whose swaddling promptly fell off.

As she tried to re-wrap it, the angel returned and narrated the birth story. Then the teacher stood back up and music began to play again from the speakers. She raised her hands, and again the children joined in their best approximation of singing; "_I think I've found my way home, I know that it might sound more than a little crazy but I believe... I knew I loved you before I met you; I think I dreamed you into life. I knew I loved you before I met you; I have been waiting all my life_!"

"Oh, God," Luke whimpered, holding a stitch in his side.

"It's Savage Garden," Nathan moaned, trying not to dissolve in laughter again.

Haley bit her lip hard, trying to keep a straight face.

Finally, it stopped and the lights went up. The parents and family thundered in response – clapping and calling out "Bravo!" Lucas and Nathan stood, as well, joining in with big grins plastered on their faces.

The teacher turned and took a bow and then indicated the audience as a final song began, this time pounded out on an old piano in the corner.

Nathan, Lucas, and Deb all swung their eyes to Haley, who calmly handed each a printout. From the stage, the children began; "_Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let Earth receive her King…_"

And with that, Jamie spotted his father. He slipped off the stage and ran down the aisle; Nathan caught him up into his arms easily, and they finished the song together.

_**February, Senior Year.**_

Haley watched Jamie playing with Skills, running to catch snow with his tongue as light flurries fell. Around them, the entrance of the Comcast Center was buzzing with activity; she never heard him approaching.

"Hi, Haley," Royal Scott said quietly.

"Hi, Mr. Scott," she straightened, surprised. "You made it."

"Yeah, uh, flight was delayed. Please, call me Royal," he urged. "I was, uh…thank you, for this," he said, awkwardly.

Haley shrugged, and kept her eye on Jamie.

"He looks like Lucas," Royal announced.

"People do say that," Haley smiled. "_Especially_ Lucas."

"Lily, now…she's Karen and Keith all over again," Royal's voice grew hoarse as he said his son's name out loud.

"I agree," Haley said, gently peering at her grandfather-in-law and trying to gauge his mood. "How's May?" she asked.

"She's better. The pneumonia hit her hard, but she's up and around again," he glanced around. "What are those," he asked, pointing at the earphones in her hand.

She held up the bright red headset. "Noise cancelling, for Jamie."

"Are they necessary?" He looked at the device doubtfully.

"It's louder in there than it is in the cockpit of a helicopter, Royal," she chided, gently. "Jamie's worn these to every game he's attended since we got to Maryland."

"OK," he nodded. "So, uh…do we go in now, or…?"

"Actually, I'm not going in with you at all. Jamie and I are sitting in a different section with our friend," she explained, digging through her purse. "We can only get two of these - for a Duke game, especially." She handed a ticket to Royal, who looked at it closely in the overhead lights. As though it were a precious, fragile thing.

"Two?" He looked up at her again.

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Then, who…"

She indicated behind him with her eyes and Royal turned around.

"Hi," Lucas greeted his grandfather, pushing away from the wall he'd been leaning against.

"Hi," Royal responded, his voice rough with emotion.

"Should we go in?"

Royal nodded. Glancing again at Jamie, he took a deep breath and followed Luke towards the entrance.

Skills walked up as they left, Jamie high on his shoulder. "Nate _couldn't_ have liked this, one bit. You giving away that ticket."

"That's a safe bet," she agreed.

"What he say?"

"Oh, besides the fact that we haven't seen hide nor hair of Royal except at our graduation from Gilmore and pretty much the only contact we've had over the years is game commentary via email?"

"No demands for Jamie updates or such? That is one fucked-up family, my friend."

"Yeah, it really is. Although, to be honest, I actually think it pisses Nathan off more how Royal treated Lucas all those years."

"He said that?"

"No, but when I tried to remind him that Royal had checked in with Karen every time he came to town, Nathan gave me that look and said…"

"_Whatever_," they both uttered at the same time.

"Yeah, that's my boy," Skills shook his head.

Jamie tired of watching the snow, which wasn't sticking on the ground. He began tugging on her jacket for attention and she lifted him into her arms. "I suppose we should go in," Haley looked over at the lines for the entrance and groaned.

"Sure," Skills agreed. "So how bad's our section?"

"Nosebleed," she laughed.

"Oh, _man_," He complained, taking Jamie from her so she could fish through her purse for their tickets.

"Don't worry, Uncle Skills," Jamie reassured him. "We'll get you a popcorn. Popcorn _always_ helps."

Skills gave the little boy a doubting expression that made him giggle.

"I'll throw in a soda, too," Haley grinned.

"OK, _now_ you're talking!"

_**April, Senior Year**_

They lay in dim, only a wedge of light from the bathroom illuminating the room.

Nathan pulled Haley close. She felt his skin next to hers, and rested her head in the head in the crook of his arm. "Mmmmm," she sighed.

"I love you, so much," he breathed.

"I love you, too," she answered, closing her eyes and letting herself drift.

He closed his, and tried.

"What is it?" she asked without looking.

"We should of won it, Hales," he groaned.

"Ohhh," she heaved a sigh. "It's been over two weeks, Nathan."

"I know…" he lifted his head and dropped it back on the pillow.

"You brought this team closer to a NCAA championship than they've been in years," she reminded him.

"It just doesn't feel like enough"

"I was reading online today, the message boards for Player of the Year. Someone said that you're the only player in the country who plays hard all the time, whether it's in games, practice, or pickup."

"Nah, there are others."

"How many?" she challenged gently. "One guy wrote that you've worked not only to maximize your own potential but that of the team, in a thousand undocumented ways. And that even though other players may have higher stats or more wins that your heart is bigger and that's what college basketball is all about."

"Yeah?"

Haley nodded against his skin.

"Did they mention that stupid 'Vanilla Ice' nickname?"

"Only a little," she promised, chuckling. "And always in a good way."

"There _is_ no good way," he grumbled.

"One of the voters said that your 'Ice' demeanor and focus under pressure kept your team's concentration on the prize many times when the game was on the line. That's a good way," she told him.

"What do _you_ think, Hales?"

"You're already my player of the year, you know that."

He leaned over and kissed her, deeply.

"So, what are you thinking now?" she asked.

"Actually," he propped himself up on an elbow. "I'm thinking I want to go home."

"What?" she sat up a little in surprise.

"I want to go to Tree Hill. Look, I sign the shoe deal on Thursday and we get the up-front money. After we get a decent set of wheels, I want to drive home."

"What about school?"

"Take a couple of days off. Finals aren't for weeks yet; I don't have to report to NBA camp until next month. Don't you get it, Haley? We can do this - just unwind, as a family. Maybe look at a couple of houses."

"Houses?" she coughed. "We don't even know where we're going to end up! Could be Charlotte, Houston, or even Seattle."

"I know, but just humor me? Plus we can see Lucas and the guys… It's the first time since we've been married that we can relax, not worry about money or basketball or anything."

"OK," she agreed, looking into his eyes in the near-darkness of their bedroom.

"Yeah?" he smiled, leaning over to kiss her again. "OK, now what are _you_ thinking?" He peered at her expression.

"That this is the end, isn't it?" she mused aloud. "Of our little college bubble."

"No," he pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "It's the beginning, Hales. Of something even better. I promise."


	9. Summer Interlude 3 The Accident

_A/N: I'm considering doing the summer month by month, or...not. Please let me know what you think._

* * *

_**Early June, Post-Graduation**_

"_NBA pre-draft camp is over, and we're joined by analyst John Bucks from SI to talk winners, losers, and the big surprises. Let's start with the physical-only invitees who are expected to go in the first rounds of the draft. John?"_

"_Well, Pat, Maryland's senior, Nathan Scott, was the first player through and here's a guy, he's come up second or third in all the big Player of the Year awards…"_

"_He won the SJ one."_

"…_Right. Well we watched in awe as Scott shot NBA 3-pointers – at one time, I think he'd drained 14 in a row. This guy's Basketball IQ has never been argued, but I think the level of his athleticism surprised us all."_

"_You wrote that great 'Make Way for Ducklings' article about him."_

"_Yeah. There he was, under a cloud and playing Div2 ball at some bottom-rung Junior College but determined to win. So he was going around, getting the other players up at the crack of dawn to run with him, badgering them until they would go out and jog behind him just to make him shut up."_

"_What's your prediction after that showing?"_

"_There's some buzz about maybe the Clippers at 11__th__ or even New Orleans at 8__th__ but I think he's gonna go to Seattle as 10__th__ pick – they desperately need a Tony Parker, and Scott fits the bill. I think this is a guy heading home to a bright future."_

...

"Home Sweet Home," Nathan cheered as they stepped into the house.

Jamie pushed past him and raced through the house, running up the stairs and back down. "Momma! Momma! The furniture isn't here!"

"Oh, it's here, bud," Haley assured her whirlwind of a son. "It's in the garage. All the stuff we ordered. Just wait until Uncle Lucas and Skillz get here, OK?" Haley raised an eyebrow at her husband. "They _are_ coming over, right?"

"On their way," Nathan answered indulgently, dropping Chester's crate on top of the kitchen counter.

"Oh, no," Haley insisted, moving quickly as Nathan answered his ringing phone. "No bunny on places where we eat."

"But he's my friend!" Jamie protested, lugging the crate down to the floor and letting his rabbit loose in the empty front room.

"That's the movers, our stuff from Maryland will be here in about 15 minutes," Nathan clicked his phone shut.

"And they're going to help with the things in the garage?"

"Yes, we've got them by the hour all night if we want," he promised, tugging her ponytail so her head tipped back and kissing her soundly. "I'm liking this," he teased, playing with her hair, which had grown back over the year.

"What do you think, if I cut it again?" she asked. "I was thinking of just doing something totally different before I start teaching."

"I like _you_, Haley James Scott," he kissed her again. "It's not about the hair."

She smiled. "I keep wondering if we should really unpack here if…"

"It's not locked until my name's called, Hales. After the draft, we'll fly out to Seattle and begin looking for a place that's local," he interrupted, jumping up to sit on the counter. We've talked about this - wherever I play, _this_ is home."

"OK, but if we're going to be in Seattle over the school year, it would be nice to have an address to put on the teaching applications I should have already sent out," she grumbled, overwhelmed at the mountain of work.

"Haley? We just graduated like 5 minutes –"

"Ten days!"

"-ago! Plus now camp's over, so we've time to get our heads together before the draft, OK?"

"Anybody home?" Lucas called, leading the gang into the cool house.

Haley squealed and jumped into his arms. "You're here!"

"Whoa…" Skillz looked around. "Nice crib," he bumped fists with Nathan. Fergie and Junk echoed the sentiment. "That a pool?" Skillz asked, looking out back.

"It is!" Jamie told him, high-fiving his uncle and the rest of the guys in greeting.

"Uh, there's a bunny hopping 'round your kitchen," Junk announced and Skillz took a step back.

"That's my floppy-eared rabbit, Chester! Don't step on him, OK?" Jamie responded.

"That just ain't natural. Animals should be free."

"He is! He's free in my house!" Jamie and Skillz stared at each other for a long moment.

Nathan looked between them and sighed, scooping Chester up and putting him back in his crate. "Hey, little man. It's probably best if he's safe in this while we're carrying stuff around, OK?"

"OK," Jamie gave Skillz an appraising look and put the crate back up on the counter. Haley groaned and let it go.

"Well, now that we have THAT settled," Lucas laughed. "Put us to work."

They walked over to the door leading into the garage and Nathan flipped on the light. "There it is," Haley stated the obvious.

There were couches, mattresses, and a tall pile of flat-packed boxes. Junk exchanged confused glances with Fergie and Skillz. "What? Where's the rest of the furniture? Lucas said you bought a house full."

"Right there, in the boxes," Haley explained. "All you have to do is put it together."

Five men looked at her, flabbergasted. "That's…" Lucas started.

"I thought we _paid_ to have it assembled," Nathan said.

"They wanted a crazy amount of money," Haley argued. "And I knew you guys were handy."

They burst out in coughs to hide their laughter.

"Uh, Momma?"

"Yes, Jamie?"

"Do we have tools?"

The guys looked down at Jamie and then up at Haley. As her eyes widened, they couldn't hide their amusement any longer.

"Hardware run!" Lucas announced.

"Shotgun!" Junk, Fergie, and Skillz shouted.

"And I'll buy the beer," Nathan grabbed up the keys. "A _lot_ of it."

_**Mid June, Post-Graduation**_

"_John Bucks from SI joins us again, as we talk countdown to the NBA draft. John, the buzz is all about Nathan Scott."_

"_Yes, it is, Pat. Nike announced today what most of us have been hearing for months - a shoe deal with Scott for just over a million a year."_

"_Shoe deals have been thin on the ground since the overspend with LeBron James."_

"_They have, but it didn't hurt that Scott shares the number of Nike's top-selling brand – Michael Jordan. That shoe will have broad appeal."_

"_What about the noise that Scott may go as high as 5__th__ pick to Boston?"_

"_The Celtics are shopping for a power forward, so I doubt it. But, hey, we've seen crazier things happen on Draft day. Scott worked out with 8 teams, including Boston, Seattle, and New Orleans – all teams with picks in the top 15. The only thing we can say with reasonable certainty is that Scott is going in the first round, and going early by the looks of it."_

"_You gotta wonder what goes through these kids' minds - just waiting these last weeks out until they hear their name called."_

...

Nathan stretched out carefully, making sure all his muscles cooled down slowly after his workout. Pulling off his sweat-soaked shirt and dropping it with his iPod on a deck chair, he approached his wife and son with a smile.

"Are you coming in, Daddy?"

"I sure am!" Nathan kicked off his shoes and jumped into the pool with a laugh, socks and all.

"Nathan!" Haley shrieked, when he popped up for air right behind her.

"Do I know you?" he flirted, leaning her in for a long kiss as they drifted underneath the blue water.

"Momma!" Jamie flapped around with his water wings, a little nervous.

"We're OK, buddy," Nathan assured him, standing up and pulling him close. "When you get older, you'll be able to hold your breath for a while."

"Not for kissing," Jamie shook his head. "That's just _gross_."

"You won't always think so," Nathan promised, chuckling.

"Hail, the gang's all here!" Lucas announced, coming around the gate. He tugged off his shirt and kicked off his flip-flops.

"Hey man, what's up?"

"I got to thinking that you might want some company," Lucas stood at the edge of the pool and looked in.

"The wait _is_ getting us a little crazy," Haley admitted.

"Speak for yourself," Nathan scoffed.

"He's grumpy 'cuz it's gonna be forever before the NBA's draft. _And_ Christmas," Jamie explained.

"Ah," Lucas smiled at his Godson. "Well, let's see what we can do to cheer him up, OK?"

"OK," Jamie gave him the thumb's up.

And with that, Lucas slammed into the water next to his brother, in a spectacular cannonball that tossed water everywhere.

_**Late June, The Night Before the NBA Draft**_

"_John Bucks, you got some time with Nathan Scott this afternoon."_

"_Yes, I got an interview with him in his hotel room before the press conference."_

"_Did he talk about any of the agreements he has going into the draft tomorrow?"_

"_No. But as I was talking with him, I kept thinking what I've believed all along – this player would be a tremendous fit for rebuilding a franchise. Look at his history. He's a great athlete and an incredible talent but more than that - he's a motivator. In those dozens of ways you can't enumerate, this guy leads teams from behind and builds them into champions. Do I think a Lakers or a Celtics would benefit from a player like this? Sure, depth of bench is always important in maintaining a legacy team. But for a Seattle or Memphis, Scott could mean a division or conference title."_

"_This is your Make Way for Ducklings guy."_

"_Yeah. You know, there's a lot of negativity that comes out in the weeks leading up to the draft, and Scott has certainly had his share – from his troubles in high school, his temper, and what some people call his icy attitude - especially seen towards some of the fans after his famous pinned ball against BC. But happily for the players, that's all over now."_

"_I heard some of the players have been sightseeing."_

"_Yeah, Scott and his family went to the Empire State Building this morning. His son got a huge Statue of Liberty foam hat, bigger than the kid himself. I tell you, for a man who's destiny will be decided tomorrow, Scott looks good."_

...

Haley glanced at her watch and exhaled. "Baby that's awesome," she smiled, looking at the black trainer that bore her husband's initials. "But I _have_ to go relieve the sitter."

Nathan glanced over at her; disappointment that the night was ending written on his face. She stood, "You guys should stay and celebrate, it's the night before the draft."

He checked her expression. "You sure?"

Haley nodded, "Yeah. Thank you guys!" she called to the agent and shoe reps that had hosted the evening. There was a flutter of waves.

She leaned in to kiss him quickly, tasted the drinks on his lips. "Um, no driving tonight okay? Take the limo and get the car tomorrow?"

Nathan looked into his wife's eyes; "Promise," he told her.

"Okay," she included Lucas in a last smile and pushed her way to the door.

One of the shoe reps had already hailed her a cab, pressing money on the driver; "The Westin on Times Square," he instructed, as Haley slipped into the back.

Despite the fact that it was a relatively small island, it took the driver almost a half an hour to get her across the New York streets to her hotel. Haley watched the neon lights slip past the window, craning her neck and amazed at how high the skyline reached at times.

The babysitter the hotel had provided was sitting in the armchair of the suite when she let herself in.

"How was he?"

"Oh, fine," the woman answered, gathering her things. "He was asleep before the end of his video."

"Big day," Haley acknowledged, opening her purse to pay the sitter.

Once the door was closed and locked behind the woman, Haley headed into the second bedroom where Jamie was sprawled like a starfish in the middle of his bed. She leaned in the doorway for a long moment, watching his tiny chest rise and fall - the miracle of her son still astonishing, after all these years. Gently, Haley tugged the sheet back up over his body and then kicked off her shoes on the way to her own room.

She heard her cell phone faintly chirping from the bathroom a few minutes later as she brushed her teeth. Spitting and then racing to dig it out of her purse, she realized it had gone quiet. Before she could check who'd called, it began ringing again in her hand - making her jump.

"Lucas?" she answered, seeing his number on the caller ID.

"Hales," he said, brokenly.

"What is it?" She felt a shiver of dread seize her heart. "What's wrong, Luke?"

"Hales, it's Nathan…"

She suddenly heard a siren, echoing in the background. "Lucas?"

"Something's happened. There was a fight."

"A fight? Is he hurt? _What's happened, _Lucas?!"

"He's gonna be OK, he _is_. You have to…uh, I don't know where we're going. Where are we going?" he asked someone.

_She was shaking. She knew she was shaking. Why was she shaking?_

"New York Presbyterian Hospital, Haley. You got that?"

"Uh, hold on…" she found some paper and a pen in the drawer and wrote it down.

"Fort Washington and West 168'th Street. Haley, you got the address?" The noise behind Lucas was getting louder.

"I got it," she agreed. "What… What…"

The line went dead. Haley bent over the desk and took a long, sobbing breath. She was going to throw up. She was. She couldn't stop panting and her mouth tasted like she was chewing tin foil.

_Please God, Please God….what do I do?_

She picked up the phone on the desk and pressed 'O'.

"Yes, Mrs. Scott?" The personal concierge answered on the first ring.

"Help me," she whispered, desperately.

"Of course, ma'am," he responded. "What can I do for you?"

"S..something's happened. They need me. New York Presbyterian Hospital on Fort Washington and 168th street…Uh, is that far? Can someone please call me a cab? _Please_?"

Within 10 seconds there was a knock on the door to her hotel suite and a concierge and an assistant stepped in. "I'm George, Mrs. Scott. Can you tell me what's happened?"

"Uh, there's been an accident; my husband and brother-in-law are being transported to this hospital. I must get there. Me, and my son. _Now_."

"Of course, Ma'am," George stepped back and began to speak into his Bluetooth while Maj, the assistant, quickly had Haley help her find shoes and a jacket. As Haley went to carefully dress Jamie, Maj made sure Haley's purse was on hand and packed a blanket and a couple of bottles of juice and some crackers for Jamie in a canvas bag provided by the hotel.

Haley stepped out of the baby's room with her son bundled in her arms. "We're moving," George told Maj and his blinking headset.

At the elevator, he pushed down; "Mrs. Scott, at this time of night, surface roads will get you there faster than the helicopter."

She nodded, not really hearing. Jamie, half asleep, burrowed in her neck away from the lights.

"Maj can accompany you to make sure you have everything you need once you get there."

"No!" Haley shook her head. "Uh, just us. Just Jamie and me…" the thought of having strangers by her side while she dealt with whatever was ahead made her stomach flip with nausea.

"OK, not a problem," George said smoothly. He took an extra cell phone from his pocket and dropped it in Haley's purse. "Speed Dial number '1', Mrs. Scott – you need anything, anytime; the staff of the Westin hotel is here to serve."

The back of the elevator opened and they headed down a hallway. George opened up a door and a Town Car with dark-tinted windows was waiting by the curb. Haley slipped into the back of the Town Car, and buckled up Jamie. Almost immediately, they were on the move.

It was like flying, speeding in the quiet over the roads. She held Jamie close and heard Luke's voice over and over like a tape in her head.

She wanted him to call back.

She was terrified what he would say.

Haley suddenly remembered that long ago voice mail;_ "Hales? There's been an accident. Uh, Nathan…was driving this racecar at his Uncle Cooper's track, you know? He hit a wall Hales. They…uh don't know. They say he's going to live…please call me back, as soon as you get this?"_

"He's going to be OK," she whispered to Jamie. "Your Daddy is going to be just fine."

Jamie looked up at her with big eyes, and clung closely.

The car slipped under a trio of pedways connecting two buildings across the street from each other and pulled to a stop. "We're here, Mrs. Scott," the driver said gently. He held the door open for Haley, and she pulled the bags over one shoulder and then hiked Jamie up onto her opposite hip.

"Thank you," she whispered, stepping onto the sidewalk.

"I'll say a prayer, Mrs. Scott," he told her as she walked away.

She nodded, only half hearing. The glass doors in front of her hissed open, waiting for her to step in. Leaning against the wall across from her was Lucas, waiting for them with his hands stuffed in his pants pockets and head hanging.

Haley couldn't bring herself to step into the hospital. The glass doors stayed open as a tear slipped down her cheek, but she just couldn't do it.

She just couldn't hear what he was going to say.

_Was that blood on his shirt?_

Sensing them, Lucas lifted his head slowly and met her eyes. His own, bleak and heartbroken.

"Hey, buddy," he called, softly.

"No," Haley shook her head. "No, _please_, Lucas…"

He took three steps and she was in his arms. Her and Jamie's warm bodies tucked close against him. Keeping her from falling, keeping her from slipping away.

"Just," she inhaled his skin, shuddering. "Just…say it."

"He's alive," Lucas said.

Relief exploded through her chest and she sobbed out loud.

"Oh, God, thank you…"

"But, Hales, they've rushed him into surgery. He went through a window. Glass was…everywhere. And before he went unconscious…he told me that he couldn't feel his legs."

And then the world went dim.

_**Late June, The Morning of the NBA Draft**_

"_It's 4AM local time and NBA Draft day is finally here. John Bucks is here with a special report."_

"_Sadly this morning, we can confirm that the rumors that have been flying for the past few hours are true. Sometime after 1AM this morning, Maryland's Nathan Scott – a pick who had been sure to go high in the draft - was in some kind of altercation at a party thrown in his honor in a Manhattan nightclub. According to witnesses, a fight had broken out with fans who were disappointed in his probable pick to Seattle and Scott ended up falling – or being pushed – through a large glass window. He's currently in surgery at a local hospital and doctors there say his condition is guarded. Our thoughts are with Scott and his family this morning, as we await word on his prognosis."_

"_An altercation with fans?" the other announcer shook his head. "This is an unbelievable blow." _

"_It truly is," John agreed. _

"_Thanks, John, for that update. In other draft news…"_

...

Jamie slept on the couch, where a bed had been made for him with a hospital pillow and blanket.

Staring out the window, Lucas watched the sun rise over New York City.

Ashen faced, Haley stared at a cold cup of coffee she would never drink.

Gerry paced in the hallway outside the room, calling people on his cell to say there were no updates.

"Someone should tell Deb," Haley said, almost to herself.

"I'll do it," Lucas exhaled, rubbing his hands through his hair. He made no move towards his phone.

"Mr. Scott, Mrs. Scott?" Jed Lewis, the hospital public relations representative stepped into the room and Haley quickly stood up. Lucas moved to wrap his arm around her as they looked at him eagerly.

"Any word?" Haley hissed, unable to keep a shred of patience in her voice.

"Well, the surgeons have let us know that they're wrapping up. They'll be heading in here to discuss the situation with you in just a few moments."

Gerry stepped back in the room. "How many moments? It's been _hours_."

"I couldn't say, sir," Jed looked over at him and then back at Haley and Lucas. "In the meantime, we've got quite a crowd gathered. Security can handle it; we have procedures in place for this kind of thing. Most of them are news people or photographers, but many are claiming to know you to gain admittance…"

"Who? Players?" Haley turned to Lucas, confused and exhausted.

"Instead of going through it that way, why don't you make a list for me of people who are all right to let through. Then I don't have to bother you over and over," Jed handed a clipboard to Haley and she looked at it, dumbly. Lucas slipped it from her numb hands and sat down in a chair, writing.

"I have a couple of names I'd…" Gerry began. Lucas shot him a look and he quickly shut up.

"If you think of anyone else, or want to let someone else up, call this number," Jed handed Lucas a business card since Haley had moved next to her son and was stroking his hair absently. Like she was in some other place in her mind.

After Jed had taken the list and left, Gerry began pacing again.

"We could use some water," Lucas told him.

"Oh, but…"

"We'd appreciate it, thanks," Lucas said with a small smile, and steel in his eyes.

Gerry nodded and left the room.

"Hales?"

She didn't respond.

"Hales, remember, he's still alive," Luke told her, walking to her side and tucking an errant piece of hair behind her ear.

She flinched.

"Hales," he begged, squatting down beside her. "Say something. _Please_."

She turned and looked at him, her eyes almost blood red with fear. Her face so pale it made him nervous. "We knew today would change our lives forever…" she choked. "Just…"

The sound of footsteps echoed into the room, and Lucas slipped his hand over hers. "They're coming," he whispered.

They turned their heads and watched the door, never realizing they were both holding their breath.

"You're Nathan Scott's family?" the first doctor asked as they came to stop in the doorway.

Luke stood back up, Haley's cold hand still in his.

"We are," he answered. "What can you tell us?"


	10. Summer Interlude 4 After the Accident

A/N: I've got a busy couple of days ahead of me, so this is it for a day or two at least. So this is just after the accident. The next installment is going to pick up back in Tree Hill just before the opening of Season 5. It might be the last chapter, not sure. Sorry this one was written quickly, but I wanted to get it done before I left. Please r/r, :)

* * *

_**Summer Interlude/New York**_

5 Doctors stood across from Haley and Lucas. They'd explained who they were; the neurologist, trauma surgeon, thoracic surgeon, plastic surgeon, and the orthopedic specialist. In the hysteria of Haley's mind, all she could think was - _Huey, Dewey, Louie, Stewie, and… that other guy_.

"Explain again, please," Luke prompted.

Gerry sat on the edge of a chair and took notes in his Blackberry.

"Mr. Scott was impaled by 8 pieces of glass. 6 of these did no significant injury, and the plastic surgeon was able to carefully repair the damage once they were removed. The 7th piece entered _here_," the surgeon indicated on his side.

"Between ribs," Luke remembered from the first time they'd run through it.

"Yes," the doctor nodded. "There's an mammery artery in this region that was lacerated by the glass, causing a buildup of the blood in the pleural cavity, the area that holds the lungs."

Haley began shaking again, and Lucas wrapped his arm around her.

"This caused quite a bit of blood loss, but we were able to stop the bleeding and drain the hemorrhage. We're giving him oxygen and are monitoring his lung efficiency, but so far it looks good. We'll watch for possible clots or infection. As an athlete, we know Mr. Scott's pulmonary functions are critical and the thoracic specialists will work with him now and throughout the recovery period."

"So there should be no long-term damage," Gerry demanded.

"Best case scenario," the doctor agreed.

"OK…" Haley prompted, licking her lips.

"The 8th shard entered here," the orthopedist pointed at the back of one of his colleagues.

"I don't understand…did it _break_ his back?"

"No, Mrs. Scott. Your husband is a _very_ lucky man. The best way to explain is that it touched the spinal column," he demonstrated by pushing his finger onto his palm. "Causing a sudden, intense pressure on his spinal cord at this area," he had brought a diagram and pointed to it.

"The result is something we call Brown-Séquard paralysis, or BSS."

"And it's not permanent?" Gerry asked, just as Lucas was opening his mouth to do so.

"Well, we'll know more after he wakes up. We've removed the glass, which was the cause of the pressure. 90 of patients with BSS are able to walk again, and most regain much – if not all – of their mobility with physical therapy."

"So he could play basketball again?" Gerry wondered.

"Oh, certainly."

"When?"

"That's hard to say," the doctor sighed. "The majority of his motor skills should return within, say, two to three months. But the overall recovery time often runs about two years."

"Years?" Gerry repeated softly.

"Mr. Scott's athleticism almost certainly saved his life tonight, and will go a long way towards his level of recovery," the doctor added.

"You'll all be at the press conference?" Gerry asked.

"That is our plan," the doctor sought Haley's eyes and she met his stare.

"It's fine," Lucas said.

"When can we see him?"

"He's being moved to a room in critical care, so we can monitor his recovery. You'll be allowed in there, one at a time, as soon as he's settled. We expect he'll be there about 48 hours, maybe more, before we transfer him to a regular room."

"It is a sterile room, so there will be precautions," another doctor added.

"OK," Haley breathed.

"I'm going to go with the docs to the press room," Gerry told Lucas and Haley.

They nodded, barely registering. The doctors filed out of the room with Gerry in tow, closing the door behind them.

In the stillness after, Haley suddenly pulled away from Lucas with a snarl.

"What? What is it?"

"I left you to watch over him!" She cried. "You're the older brother, Luke!"

"By a few months!" He stood. "_Don't_. Don't do this, Haley."

"He was _fine_. He was _happy_. He was about to be _drafted_ _by Seattle_…" she sobbed. "All his dreams were coming true and you were right there, on the couch next to him. _How the hell could you let this happen_?!"

Lucas tried to reach out to her, but she waved him away. "He's paralyzed! He almost drowned in his own blood! Where were you, Lucas? WHERE WERE YOU?!"

"I COULDN'T STOP HIM!!" Lucas finally yelled back.

"Momma? Uncle Lucas?" Jamie sat up on the couch, and Haley raced to him. She gathered her son up into her arms, shooting Luke a murderous look over the top of her son's head. "I'm sorry baby, did we wake you up? I'm sorry," she rocked him close, fighting her own tears.

"Where's Daddy?"

"The doctors just came and told us that they've fixed him all up," Luke squatted down to talk to his nephew face to face. "He's gonna look pretty scary for a while, but he's gonna be all right, little buddy. I promise."

"OK," Jamie said bravely, clutching his mother's hand.

She smoothed his wild hair, and caught Lucas' eye. "I…" she deflated.

"Yeah," he put a hand on her knee and squeezed it gently. "Me, too."

A soft knock at the door straightened the three up quickly. "It's me again," the man announced, entering. "Hello Mrs. Scott, Mr. Scott, and young Mr. Scott," He smiled and held out his hand. "I'm Jed Lewis. It's my job to make sure you've got what you need here."

Jamie shook his hand solemnly. "I _need_…my dad," he told Jed.

"Ah, then you've come to the right place," Jed answered. "Because once we take care of a couple of things, it will be time for you to go see him. When they buzz me," he slipped a pager from his pocket and showed it to Jamie. "We'll go right to him. Now, at first, they're going to ask you to look at him through the glass."

"Like Chester?" Jamie puzzled.

"Rabbit," Lucas explained.

"Uh…OK, yes," Jed rolled with it. "And then, in a day or two, you'll be able to get as close as you want – OK?"

Jamie's lips clamped together. He clearly wasn't happy with things, but he nodded – once, slowly.

"What things? More paperwork…"

"No," Jed turned to Haley. "That's all fine. First of all, I want to give you these, he held out a tiny envelope that held a pair of plastic passkeys. "The keys to your room here at McKeen Pavillion."

"This is _our_ room?"

"Yes, just steps away from where your brother will be recuperating once he's released from Recovery. The number is on the back."

"A hotel in a hospital," Haley shook her head. "New York is an interesting place."

"Makes sense," Lucas shrugged. "I can call over to the Westin and have our things moved…"

Haley nodded absently, digging through her bag and handing Luke the extra cell phone.

"Anything else?" Haley asked.

"Just your visitors," Jed told her.

"Visitors?" Luke's forehead furrowed in confusion.

"The ones from your list, Mr. Scott."

"Which ones from the list," he asked, standing.

"I would almost have to say…all of them, sir," Jed stepped back to the door and pulled it open, motioning the hallway.

One by one, they trouped into the room. The first through the door was Deb, who raced to Haley and Jamie. She wrapped them in her arms, as Haley assured her "He's going to be all right," over and over.

The Coach and several of the players walked in, bumping fists with Luke and nodding their respects at Haley and Jamie. Skillz followed, with Mouth in his wake.

"We got the first flight," Skillz pulled Luke close in a quick hug. "And nobody was saying nothing on the news about our boy."

"He's in recovery," Luke told him. "They say he's going to be fine, but he'll need rehab."

Lindsey tried to slip into the room unobtrusively but Lucas held out his hand to her and she flew into his arms. He clutched her close, breathing in the scent of her shampoo.

An orderly arrived with a massive basket. "I think that should go to their…"

"Instructions were specific, Mr. Lewis," the orderly argued.

Haley took the card. "It's from Brooke," she explained to Luke with a half-smile. "She's in Paris, will be here as soon as…"

Luke nodded. "It's all _food_," Deb noted, scrutinizing the massive offering. The three exchanged a private smile.

"We do have an excellent dining…oh," Jed interrupted himself, tugging the pager from his pocket. "It's time. Just the three of you to start, OK?"

"Right," Lucas held out his arms and Jamie jumped into them.

"We have to get over to the draft," one of the players hugged Haley and she kissed his cheek. "But we'll be praying to Jesus that He watch over y'all," he told her.

The other players nodded.

"Anything you need, Haley," the Coach assured her.

Mouth sat down next to Deb and gave her a compassionate look.

"We'll be here, Dawg," Skillz assured Luke and Haley.

Jed held the door for the small family and they exited. With a hiss, the door closed and silence fell in the room.

….

Royal and Mae kept the little TV in the kitchen tuned to ESPN. Neither was drinking their coffee.

The phone rang. Mae jumped and raced to it. When Royal saw the Caller ID, he slammed his hand down on the receiver and held it there.

"But…" Mae turned to him, half-angry and half-frustrated.

"No," Royal ordered. "You will not answer that call, Mae."

"Royal, our grandson is in the hospital! He has a right…"

"No!!" Royal barked.

Mae took a step back, her lips pinching in disagreement. "Royal…" she argued.

The phone stopped ringing, and they both took a deep breath.

"He's the boy's father," she said.

"He killed our son," he reminded her.

"He's our son, too," she sighed.

"No. No, he's _not_," his voice raised in warning.

The phone rang again, and Royal slapped his hand over it again as they peered at the Caller ID. "That's him," Mae said, recognizing the number.

"You're sure?" his voice a little gruff.

"I'm sure."

He picked the phone off the receiver and answered it carefully. "Hello?"

"Royal, it's Lucas," he said clearly.

"I'm glad it's you, son. How's Nathan?"

….

The phone on the bedside table vibrated and Peyton rolled over in bed to answer it.

"Talk to me," she pleaded.

"He's out of surgery," Brooke told her. "He's gonna live, Peyton. He's going to be fine."

….

Whitey climbed the hill with a small bouquet of flowers in his hand. When he reached the grave, he laid them down carefully.

"He's going to be all right," he told his wife, his eyes moist with relief.

….

Karen looked up from her laptop and smiled at Andy, who was rocking a sleeping Lily.

"He's recovering from surgery. The doctors say it's a miracle he wasn't permanently paralyzed – or killed. And now he may be back to playing basketball by Christmas."

"Thank God," Andy breathed. "How's Lucas?"

She shook her head. "I can't tell from this," she admitted. "He's too good a writer to show what he doesn't want me to know."

"So it's bad," Andy guessed.

"I wonder if we should…"

"Why don't we head to the coast, and catch a flight?" he suggested.

"Maybe…" she nodded. "I don't know yet if that will be a help. He's got Lindsey with him, but Haley…she must be a wreck."

"I'll tell the captain to head that way, just in case."

….

It was early afternoon when the Sonics made their draft pick. The name they called was not Nathan's. Lucas dropped his head. It had been a foregone conclusion, but there had been that small glimmer of hope in the back of his mind.

He glanced over at the sterile room where Haley sat watch on her husband. They'd begun dialing back the medication to wake Nathan up and she was determined to be the first thing he saw.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he wondered idly when the last time he'd eaten was.

Then he saw his brother's eyes flicker.

"Nathan?" Haley sat up straighter and put herself in his line of sight. The nurses and the doctor moved to the other side of the bed.

"Nathan? Can you hear me?" she asked.

He blinked.

"Welcome back," she smiled. "You've had quite a day."

He blinked again.

"Nathan, can you say something? I'm right here. And Jamie. And Lucas. Right here, Nathan. Always…" she prompted.

His tongue darted out and licked his lips. She waited.

"It's over, isn't it," he asked roughly. And then he closed his eyes again, a small tear leaking from the corner of his eye.

"Oh, Nathan…no. No, you're going to be fine," she promised. "Just talk to me. Come back, Nathan."

But he wouldn't say another word. Her agony reflected on her face, she looked over at Lucas. He lifted his hand and pressed it against the glass window, reaching to her.

She shook her head, trying not to cry.

He acknowledged what she met with a sympathetic expression. And felt the pain in his heart break it.


	11. Summer Interlude 5 Into the Fall

_A/N: This is the bridge to Season 5. Notice the changed spelling of Skillz :) Oh, and - The continuity monkeys really had fun with the timeline during the season and I have done the best I can to smooth it out into something that makes sense. Please let me know what you think!!_

* * *

_**Third Week of July, Driving Home after Nathan is released from the hospital in NYC.**_

"All right, I know I had a _few_ things to say about it when you bought this…"

Haley coughed at the understatement.

"But you were right; it's a cool car," he admitted, smoothly moving the Range Rover into the left lane to pass a small convoy of trucks.

"And? Diesel," she reminded him. "Although, today I'm just glad it's got so much room," she looked in the back seat, where Nathan was dozing. Behind his seat was the pile of their luggage and his wheelchair.

"We could have fit J-Luke, too," Luke pointed out.

She gave him a look. "It's a long drive, and Nathan is not exactly himself yet. I'm fine with Deb taking Jamie home on the plane."

"If you say so," her best friend shrugged. "OK, I got another one; take the pain of protecting your name, from the crutch to the cane to the highwire..."

"Oh, please. Gavin DeGraw, _In Love with a Girl_," she shook her head. "I know I'm not Peyton, but at least try, OK?"

"Yes, dear," he laughed. "Your turn."

"A dollar under water keeps on dreaming for me."

"Jimmy Eat World, _Lucky Denver Mint_," he gave her a look. "How much longer to Perth Amboy?"

"I have no idea anymore. If someone had told me it would take us 4 freaking hours to go less than 30 miles from the hospital, I would have laughed. New York is _insane_."

"Well, we're in New Jersey now, buddy. And we are so much older and so much wiser than we were this morning."

"Too true," Haley wrinkled her nose. "OK, It looks about another five miles," she pushed a few buttons on the onboard GPS set into the dashboard. "Not that I understand why it has to be _this_ town we break in…"

"Holy shit, Hales – are you kidding me? The birthplace of Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi?"

"As long as it's the birthplace of a clean bathroom…" she scoffed.

"Oh, Come ON!" He choked, disbelieving. "I went with you to see the _rock_."

"_That rock_ has huge historic significance! It served as the arbitration point for, like, hundreds of years. It's the American Law Rock!"

" It was a _rock_! In _Queens_! No one has written sagas about it, OK?"

"And you dragged me to where John Steinbeck _died_…" she reminded him. "Yes, _so_ much more impressive. Especially since he's actually buried in California."

"Could you keep it down?" Nathan asked thickly from the back seat. "Cripple trying to sleep."

Haley and Lucas exchanged a look. "Hey, man, you up for some food?"

"Naw," he sighed. "Just my meds."

"Ah…"

"Don't start, Haley."

"We're almost in Perth Amboy," she told him, looking at the back seat where he was lying down.

"Outstanding," he responded, his voice dripping in sarcasm.

Haley sighed.

"The daytime crap with the folksinger slop…" Luke said.

"Uh…" she thought.

"_I'm a loser_; Baby, so why don't you kill me?" Nathan answered.

"Beck," Lucas agreed.

She glanced at Lucas. He shrugged.

"As a matter of fact I don't recall this photo being taken; you don't even actually exist…" Nate offered.

"Modest Mouse, _Exit Does Not Exist_," Luke responded quickly.

"Album?" Nathan asked.

"This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About," Luke retorted, getting the point as the words came out of his mouth.

Nathan nodded, closed his eyes, and tucked in the earbuds to his iPod. Luke tried to meet his eyes in the rearview mirror, but Nate was lost already in his own world.

………..

_**First Week of August, Nathan's PT Appointment.**_

Nathan gritted his teeth as physical therapist adjusted the weight ratio. _Again_.

He was strapped into a ridiculous harness over a treadmill, walking while carrying only about 70 percent of his body weight. Or, he guessed, 75 percent now.

"So, any pain?" Drew, the therapist, asked as he pushed some buttons on the treadmill to change the speed slightly.

Nate wanted to remind the dickhead that the harness was pressing exactly against one of his wound sites. That his arms shook when he was pulling himself up off the toilet. That every minute of every day he could hear that glass window breaking in his ears. And that he should be training with the Sonics in a world-class gym instead of relearning to walk like a baby in a lame-assed therapy center.

Instead, he just shook his head and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. The sweat dripping between his shoulder blades.

"No?"

"No," Nathan ground out, thinking that a shot of vodka with a Motrin chaser would fix him up later when he did begin to feel the soreness that was sure to come.

"All right, then," Drew shook his head. Then he checked the readouts from Nathan's heart rate monitors and jotted down some numbers on the clipboard. "You're doing good."

Nathan almost groaned in frustration.

"How about other functions," Drew pressed. "Like going to the bathroom. Everything still fine there?"

He gave Drew a murderous look and then turned his attention back to the treadmill. To his feet, which seemed to buckle with every other step.

"I'll take that as a yes. And sexual activity – any issues? Have you resumed relations?"

"How the _hell_ is that any of your business?" Nathan demanded, feeling about as pissed by the little weasel's questions as he was by his indulgent attitude.

Drew reached over and slowed the treadmill again. "Look, Nathan. There are things we need to know for your recovery."

"No, you don't," he corrected. "And you're wrong. There's been no improvement between my last workout at the hospital in New York and now. I don't call that _good_. Why do you?"

Drew exhaled loudly, frustration mirrored on his face. "It takes time," he reminded Nathan.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I could probably get the same workout walking in my pool," he tugged off the monitors, letting them dangle on the railing. Then he grabbed a towel and mopped his face.

"That would be an excellent augmentation of the regimen, yes," Drew nodded.

Nathan eyed the shorter man for a long moment, and then nodded. "Help me to the shower," he ordered. "I've got another appointment."

"But…"

Nate lifted his eyebrows and stared. Drew gave in, and he reached up and released the harness – tugging it off Nate's body. Then he steered the wheelchair to the end of the treadmill, locking its wheels so Nathan could safely drop his body into the seat.

Without a word, Nathan unlocked the breaks himself and pushed off in the direction of the locker room.

Two hours later, he was sitting by the exit. _Still waiting to leave_.

"Oh, hi," she stopped short, seeing him in the shadows. "I thought you'd still be in there. Didn't they say…"

"Your phone's off," he interrupted.

"The battery died, it's charging in the car."

"So what happened to the appointment with the lawyers? Did they cancel?"

"I told you, Nathan, that I would take care of it. I just want you focusing on getting better," she tried to meet his eyes, but the sharp afternoon sun pressing against the dimness of the hallway and hid his expression from her.

"And I said I wanted to be there," he bit out.

"It was just…" she took a step closer to him. "Uh, easier for me to do it."

"Because I'm in a chair?"

"No! No, Nathan. Because Skillz could only watch Jamie for a few hours, and you had PT, and these guys have been hard to nail down. And because, I just hate all these distractions for you, when you have…"

"Like the meeting with Gerry? And the tours of schools for Jamie?"

"Uh," she looked around the corridor, suddenly realizing how public they were. "Can we talk about this later?"

"Sure," he shrugged.

She went to push his chair but he waved her off, turning the wheels himself and passing her as she held the door for him.

Once they'd settled in the Range Rover, Haley paused before starting the car. "Nathan, we've barely been home a couple of weeks and it's been really, really busy. There's so much to get done, and none of that should be interfering with your recovery, you know?"

"You don't think I can handle these things?"

"No, I think that you're just out of the hospital and you almost died! Plus, the doctors said that it takes most people…"

"When did we become 'most people'?" he wondered. "We never used to be."

She bit her lip, at a loss for a response.

"I'm tired of you treating me like I'm gonna break, Haley."

"But, you _did_!" she argued.

He reached over to touch her arm, pained by the lone tear streaking down her cheek. But she shrank back, and he dropped it. "Are you even going to tell me how it went with the lawyers?" he asked after a long moment.

"It went fine," she answered, recovering and trying to keep her voice neutral. "The upfront money is ours, they aren't going to try and take it back."

"So we're OK," he stared out the window.

"Yes," she agreed. "If we're frugal, we can probably be all right on what we have until Jamie's in junior high school, at least."

He exhaled. "Boy, guess they're regretting that contract now, huh?"

"Nathan," she rebuked, suddenly exhausted.

"They're not releasing the shoe, are they?"

She couldn't bring herself to answer.

"I thought so," he gave a bitter chuckle.

Haley shook her head, started the car and put it in gear. "I know everything seems wrong right now, but it will get better," she told him. "Just…focus on getting well, OK?"

"It's not like I have anything else on the schedule, now do I?"

_**Third Week of August, Lucas' House.**_

"All right, I got everything on the list," Lindsey said, dropping the two bags of groceries on the kitchen counter.

"If, by everything, you mean the macaroni and the cheese – then we're good," Lucas began helping her unpack the food.

"Macaroni, cheese, and two different wines. Let me tell you, Mac 'n Cheese as an entrée will stump even the most learned of wine sellers."

"I bet," he chuckled.

"Your mom sent the recipe?"

"She did," he pointed to where he'd attached it with a magnet to the fridge. He looked around the house and sighed. Turning to Lindsey, he began to say something but she interrupted.

"We're bringing the food to eat at their house, and not having them over as originally planned."

"How did you know?"

"He's not walking yet, is he? And this house isn't exactly…"

"No, it isn't. And…no, he's not."

She turned and leaned her back against the counter. "The accident wasn't even two months ago, Luke," she reminded him. "He's only been home a few weeks."

"He's off the steroids, sensation and control is completely back in both legs, so why isn't he taking it to the next level? Just a few months of PT and he could be _back_."

"To what he was in June?" she asked gently.

"No one knows – but it's possible," he gusted. "Wouldn't he want to find out?"

"Like you raced to take your HCM test?" she challenged, a teasing gleam in her eye.

He turned his head to really look at her. "Sometimes it's unfair that you know so much about me…"

"While I still have secrets?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Mmmmm," he wrapped a hand around her neck and held her close. "I'm so lucky to have you, you know that?"

"I do," she smiled, kissing him. "So tell me the rest of it."

"What?"

"Tell me you're not coming to New York, Luke."

"Uh…I don't know that," he stepped away and began filling a pot with water.

"I do," she said gently. "You won't leave your family, not at a time like this. You know, Karen and Lily left, Deb left, the café is closed. And yet, you came home, Luke. You to this house and Nathan and Haley bought theirs not 15 minutes down the road."

"What are you saying?" He put the pot on the stove to boil and turned back to face her.

"I'm saying that the four of you are a force to be reckoned with. And at a time like this, you won't split up."

"No," he nodded. "I don't think we could."

"So…"

"Are you mad?"

"I will be," she shrugged.

"If?"

She looked up to meet his eyes and waited for him to figure it out. And he did. He wrapped his palms around her hands and looked at her sincerely; "Stay with me here?"

"Stay?"

"Live," he asked. "You are wise, and beautiful. And you've obviously seen what I hadn't figured out yet – you're right. Tree Hill is home. Nathan and Haley and J-Luke are home. I can't go. Especially not now, not while Nathan is in that wheelchair. It was different when you and I thought that they'd be across the country by now. But that doesn't mean I don't love you, Lindsey. I do - please say you'll live with me here."

"I will," she agreed, seriously. "Although, I'm going to have to be in New York a lot of the time…"

"We can make it work," he held her face in his fingertips and kissed her. "Webcams can be _extremely_ hot."

"Hmmmm," she agreed against his lips. "But you don't have nearly enough closet space…"

"I'll re-do the laundry room into a closet just for you," he assured her, kissing her again.

"And you'll have to really write that second book, if we're going to say that…"

"Practically done," he laughed, kissing her even deeper the third time.

"OK," she leaned back her head and laughed. "But only because I love you, and, of course, them…"

"You do," he teased. "You're truly stuck in our Scott Family web, now."

"Oh, goody," she let him pull her even closer.

"Mmm," he relaxed his cheek against her hair while she rubbed his back in slow circles.

"Can you fly up to New York and help me move down some of my stuff?"

"Try stopping me," he assured her.

"Oh!" she pulled away and pointed. "The water is boiling! Get the recipe!"

"OK, OK," he laughed, pulling down the piece of paper. "It's _just_ Mac n' Cheese."

"It's _Karen's_ Mac n' Cheese," she corrected. "And it has to be just right, for Haley."

"Yeah," he agreed, his heart melting at her genuineness. "Then, all right, first…"

_**Labor Day Weekend, Scott House.**_

The music could be heard from the front of the house. At the back, the grill smoked and the water splashed.

"Dawg, you never gonna beat me with those water wings on."

"I know," Jamie said seriously. "But I'm not ready to take them off yet. I'll sink."

"Aiight," Skillz shrugged. "But I'm not giving you a head start, ya'here?"

Jamie nodded, and Junk counted down for them, "Three…two…one!"

With a jump, the two began swimming for the far end. "And Skillz Taylor has an early lead!" Mouth announced, sitting on the side with his feet in the water.

"How they coming?" Lucas asked, resting his chin on Haley's shoulder.

"Burnt on the outside, raw on the inside," she laughed. "I'm too distracted, why don't you take over?"

"Gimme," he held out his hand and she dropped the over-sized spatula on it. "How's student teaching?"

"Fine," she rolled her eyes. "Mostly grunt work. On the one hand, I'm glad it's not for long. On the other, I'm nervous about flying solo once the current teacher goes on maternity leave."

"You're going to be great," he assured her, not for the last time. "I just wish the Principal would call back with news on _our_ applications."

"Are you kidding? You and Skillz? They're gonna jump at the chance to have you," she sounded sure. "Just tell me again why you'd get an assistant coach. Whitey never had one."

"Whitey had the budget for one, he just made every candidate cry until they Board stopped sending them."

"Whitey? I don't believe it!" Haley scrunched her face in disbelief.

"You don't get 500 wins by being a 'cooperative' leader, Hales," Luke chuckled. "Whitey did _not_ play well with others when it came to sharing his team."

"But he shared with you," she reminded him.

"Yeah," he gave her a quirky smile. "And now I'm sharing with Skillz. And if you saw this team, you'd know they need all the help we can give them."

"You've met them?"

"IF we're hired, then not officially until fall practices start up. But I started watching their tapes last night and…_eww_," he shuddered. "How's our boy?" he asked, glancing at edge of the patio where he sat in his chair, nursing a beer.

"I don't know if today's gonna be a good day," she sighed. "He got really frustrated trying to take a shower by himself this morning. Gave himself a couple of nasty bruises."

"Wait, I thought you had that big bathtub?"

"_Upstairs_," she pointed out. "He's crashing on the couch every night; it's just too much for him to climb the stairs yet. And he won't let me help him half the time. I…just wish he would."

Luke nodded and gave her a heartfelt look. "I wish he'd let me help, too." He looked over at his sister-in-law and gave her a tepid smile. "How about you and Jamie? Do you have a plan for him? You know, once Skillz and I are coaching – you're gonna be out of available babysitters."

"I know," she groaned. "I have to hire a nanny to pick Jamie up afterschool and watch him until I get home. In the meantime, what do you think…" she looked over at where Fergie and Junk were sitting by the pool.

"Oh, no," Luke laughed. "Not _my_ godson. We'll figure something out for now, OK?"

She gave him a grateful smile.

Lindsey appeared at the top of the stairs, and called down to them. "I smell food!"

"You made it!" Lucas grinned. He handed Haley back the spatula and jogged up to kiss her.

Haley sighed and stared down at the burgers and hot dogs – trying to decide which ones were done.

"Hi," Nathan said softly.

Haley jumped and turned. "I didn't even see you!"

"Stealth chair," he joked. Relief at his playful expression flooded her like adrenaline. He cocked his head, looking up at her with a hint of a smile and she grinned back, suddenly giddy with love.

"How are you doing?"

"All right," she assured him. "This is nice, having our first party here." Haley looked around the backyard and smiled.

"More a barbeque than a party, although the way you're cooking…"

She flipped everything with a rueful expression.

"I wonder if we should have invited some of the other guys, as well…"

"Like Tim?" she squished down one of the hamburgers.

"Maybe," he shrugged. "Although since he married Bevin…"

"Yeah," Haley agreed, glancing at Skillz.

"The ones on the left are really done; take them off already. If you want I can put them on the table," he indicated the buffet she'd set up.

"Oh, uh, OK," she found a plastic plate and carefully piled it with some of the food. Nathan put it in his lap and carefully wheeled it over.

"C'mon, Jimmy Jam!" he called to his son as he took one of the hot dogs and put it into a bun. "Lunch time!"

Before the enthusiastic 4 year old could make his way over, 4 hungry men attacked the spread like piranha. Nathan backed up with Jamie's meal in one hand, playfully guarding it against Skillz' attempt to steal the food. When his son appeared, Nate got him settled at the table with the food.

"Ketchup," Jamie requested, looking around.

"Here ya' go," Mouth tossed over the plastic bottle and Nathan attempted to catch it but it went over his head and landed in the pool.

"Man!" Skillz reprimanded his friend.

Lucas and Haley caught their breath, waiting for Nate's reaction. After a long moment, he looked at Mouth. "Well? Go get it," he ordered, the humor in his eyes taking the edge of his words.

Mouth jumped in after it, fully clothed, and everyone erupted in laughter.

Luke reached out and squeezed Haley's hand. "Maybe a good day, after all," he said softly.

She nodded at him, and went over to join her guys.


	12. Season 5 Nathan's Descent

_A/N: Is anyone still out there?_

* * *

_**Second Week of September**_

"Daddy!"

"Hey, Jimmie Jam," Nathan put down the beer and hugged his son. Over his head he looked at his brother, confused.

"He forgot his cape," Luke explained as Jamie thundered up the stairs. "Thought you had PT today - didn't the car service show up?"

"Sent them away," Nathan shrugged. "I'd get a better workout in my own pool, without all the fucking interference."

Lucas leaned on the arm of the couch, "Interference?"

"You haven't met these people. They've got the combined IQ of Jamie's Play Doh."

"Ah," his brother nodded and then cocked his head, looking at the beer. "Little early in the day, isn't it?"

"It's night somewhere," Nate toasted him and took another long swallow.

"Should you be drinking that before getting in the pool?"

"Should you be asking so many questions?"

"I'm just concerned, man," Luke sought his eyes.

"Why don't you take Jamie and be concerned somewhere else, OK?"

"All right," Luke sighed and stood as Jamie came flying back down the stairs, his cape securely over his head. "C'mon J-Luke, let's go check out the playground by the river."

Nathan stiffened. "Not the court."

"What do you –"

"I said: Not The Court," he repeated forcefully.

"Yeah, I heard you," Luke held up his hands in surrender.

"You OK, Daddy?" Jamie asked.

"I'm just not feeling so great," he explained, his voice softer.

"Maybe Momma can make you soup when she gets home."

"Maybe she could," Nate agreed, his sarcasm lost on Jamie but roaring in Luke's ears.

Jamie gave his father a high-5 and instructed; "Try and have a good day, today. OK, Daddy?"

"OK," Nate answered as Jamie headed for the door. Luke looked back at his brother and tried to think of what else he could say, but came up with nothing. So he chased his nephew out of the house and to the car, and tried to remember to smile.

_**Third Week of September**_

She slipped down the stairs, hearing the television faintly as she approached. Another basketball game, probably from China or Sweden or the Lichtenstein regional league_. Who the hell knew_?

"What do you want?" He asked, his voice a little thick from exhaustion and alcohol.

"I miss you," she said, coming to perch next to his legs on the sofa.

He didn't respond, just stared at the television.

"Nathan?" she prodded softly.

With a dramatic sigh he turned his head. "_What_, Haley?"

"What's going on with you? You haven't been to any PT appointments since before Labor Day…"

His jaw tight, he stared at her.

"You're sleeping later and later, and staying up half the nights…" she continued.

He wouldn't meet her eyes.

"And it's like you're this angry ghost."

"What do you _expect_?"

"I _expect_ for us to talk about it, Nathan," she answered. "Why are you closing Jamie and I off like this?"

"What's there to say?" he ripped out. "Everything we worked for is _gone_, Haley! I don't even know what use I am to you two."

"Are you kidding?" she argued. "You're still _you_, Nathan. Jamie's father. The man I love." She reached out to touch his arm.

He looked down at her hand and exhaled. Then he shook his head. "No, I'm not," he told her.

"_Please_, Nathan," Haley moved her face within inches of his. Reaching out, she pushed a button on the remote control and the TV winked out.

"I was watching that," he chided her.

"Nathan…" she could feel her hand tremble on his arm but didn't move it.

"Haley," his face was shuttered, showing no emotion. "Don't."

She took a breath and leaned in and kissed him. For a moment, it all came rushing back; the passion, the heat, the awareness in every pore of their skin. The months without each other crashed down like a wave, as they pressed closer and kissed deeper.

And then he broke away, and leaned back.

She dropped her hands, bewildered. "What?" she asked, rough with confusion.

"I can't," he said, looking away.

"But the doctors said…"

"I _can't_," he said, his voice sharp.

"Well, we could still…"

"No," he stopped her.

Haley bit her lip and tried not cry. She was _tired_ of crying. She was _tired_ of hurting. Her body felt sore from the rejection.

"Go to bed," he ordered.

"Nathan, I miss you. Can't we…"

"I'm not tired. Just go to bed, Haley. Maybe I'll join you later."

"You will?"

"I'll try," he shrugged, reaching up and wiping the taste of her from his lips.

She knew he was lying, but stood up anyway. It was a long walk up the stairs, and the television was already on again before she'd taken the first step.

_**Fourth Week of September**_

"Nate, man…" Luke dragged a hand through his hair and sighed. "You gotta talk about this. Get through to the other side."

"I gotta? What are you - some kind of shrink, now?"

"No, I'm your brother. And I've seen you like this and I know it leads nowhere good."

"Oh, you've seen me like this? Really? You've seen me lose my dream, lose _everything_?"

"Nate…"

"_Really_? So what are you going to do about it? Call up the Sonics and beg them to draft me anyway? Tell them to leave the other guy? Get me back the 15 years of my life I gave to this?" he snorted.

Before Luke could respond, Nathan cut him off, continuing his tirade; "Oh, _I_ _know_! You can tell them that I'm in love with them just to hear them laugh and stay on tour! Or maybe try and get their GM sent to jail? 'Cuz that's what YOU do, man. You just manipulate everything and everyone in your world until it looks the way you want it and damn everyone else. But not me, OK? I'm DEALING with it! I'm facing my reality, and you have no CLUE what it looks like. So, frankly? You're cordially invited to leave me the fuck alone!"

"All right," Luke was sick of trying, his face showing his impatience. He wondered how long until Nate did something _really_ stupid, and wished he knew the magic words to stop it all.

"Tell my wife you tried, man," Nate scoffed, jerking Lucas out of his thoughts. "And tell her that next time? She shouldn't bother."

Luke pushed his hands in his pockets and groaned. "You know what? For the record, Haley didn't send me here. But she loves you, so much, you know? And this? This is killing her."

Nathan laughed, a harsh sound with no humor. "Then just imagine what it's doing to me."

_**First Week of October**_

He looked down at the pool, almost angry with it. Took another long swallow of beer. It wasn't cold yet, the grocery delivery service had brought it less than an hour ago.

But it felt good going down.

He wheeled himself down the patio, around the corner, and to the pool's edge. Drained the last of the beer and tossed it in the plastic garbage can Haley kept against the wall. Opened the fresh one he'd tucked against his leg.

The wind blew a leaf across the water.

He imagined what it would be like to float like that. To be that free.

He closed his eyes, and could hear it. The screaming of his name, the chant of his number. He could feel the nubbed surface of the ball against the skin of his palm as though it were _there_.

It would arc through the air, pulled to the bucket and no stopping it.

The noise, man…that unending _noise_. The cheerleaders shouting, the coach screaming and raising his hand, the rest of the team's shoes pounding on the floor as they moved in formation.

And then with a _swoosh_, it would be in.

And he would fly, man. Right out of his skin.

Nathan gulped the air, tried to breathe. Tried to picture what life was like without basketball.

All he could see was darkness. Darkness that didn't end.

Days upon days, years upon years. Nothing in the center of his life. Just blank minutes, and the buzz of bad beer.

He looked back down at the water. Back at the leaf tossing in the warm breeze. He edged his chair closer to the edge.

And wondered. What it would be like. The cool of the water on his skin, soaking into his clothes. The wet of it in his lungs. The squeezing, and choking.

And then there would be real darkness. And no more chair. And no more echoes from the past. And no more pain. No more _pain_.

Suddenly he realized what he was thinking. He tossed the other beer in the trash and dropped his face in his hands. "God," he prayed. He didn't want to die.

He didn't. _Really_.

Noticing Jamie's toy basketball, Nathan rolled over to it. Scooped it up for the toss.

It missed.

He picked up the hoop and threw it at the stairs, noticing a moment too late that his son was standing there.

"Jamie!"

The little boy walked over to him, almost fearful. And put a picture in his hands.

Of what used to be.

"_Son_," he called, his heart dropping in his gut. It took all his strength and to pull himself out of the damned chair and over to him. But he did. "Daddy's sorry. For everything," he promised, almost cracking apart in a million pieces at the expression on Jamie's face. "Come here," Nathan begged.

And in a moment, his son was in his arms. His little body tucked against him. Nathan felt Jamie's chest expand and contract against his own and gritted his teeth.

_I don't want to die_, he thought again, this time with complete conviction. _I just don't know how to live, anymore. Show me how to live…_


	13. Season 5 Lucas' Prelude

**_A/N: OK, I got stuck. There is SO much that goes on in the first 3 episodes of Season 5 that I couldn't figure out how to really tell all the perspectives of the story and show how it really was a test and a proof of the new Scott family._**

**_So I'm doing 4 sort of overlapping chapters: Nathan, Lucas, Jamie, and then Haley. Then 2 last chapters to tie off the year. I don't know if I'm gonna add to it when Season 6 picks up, because I'm not all about writing scene fillers - I see this as a complete story, the arc into family. I think I could probably be done now, except that so many have asked I get through the lunacy with Carrie and so I'm happy to. Please R/R!! And THANK YOU so much for the feedback so far :)_**

* * *

_**Third Week of September**_

"Alley oop," Lucas instructed.

Skillz quickly moved to the basket and jumped up to tap the ball in the moment it hit his fingertips. "Still got it," he crowed, gathering up the rock and dribbling it back to half court.

"Says the man with lost to the Cobra's - _twice_," Luke pointed out, grinning.

"Oh, you saying that now – but you was sweating our Nellie Ball back in the day," Skillz tossed back, moving to the free point line and making the throw.

Luke caught it underneath the basket and threw it back. "We did _not_ sweat you. In fact, I think those were two of the games that Nate quadruple-doubled."

"Oh, you poor thing," Skillz knocked another one in. "Only 21 and the mind is gone…"

Luke dropped his head back and laughed loudly. "Oh, is that how it's gonna be?" He held the ball, jabbing Skillz with a smile.

Skillz gave no quarter, staying in Luke's face. "And your boy got whistled for traveling what – 6 times? 7?"

"Yeah he does that," Luke agreed, still chuckling. He pivoted and threw. "Or, at least… he _did_." He stopped and dragged a hand from his forehead to the back of his head, suddenly dispirited.

"Wow," Skillz retrieved the ball and tucked it under his arm. "You know how to kill a party fast, dawg. We should call you 'Luke the Mood Murderer' – 'cuz that would match your book and all."

"It's still hard," he admitted. "To even _think_ about how close he came."

"True that."

"Yeah," Luke agreed.

"You know, dawg - just because Nate's got troubles, doesn't mean we gotta be down."

"I know. I was actually thinking about Haley."

"Yeah, these days – that girl does need thinking about."

"Remember when you had that crush on her?"

"What?!" Skillz face contorted into an outraged expression. "What drugs are you on?"

"C'mon, freshman year. When you thought…"

"Oh, you digging in the false archives again, looking for Al Capone. How many times I got to tell you? I KNEW you were her fake boyfriend, I was just playing along."

"Mmm hmm," Luke lifted an eyebrow in disbelief. "You've been a good friend to her, man."

"So have you."

"I'm sort of her brother now."

"That's not it," Skillz shook his head and took a long swallow from his water bottle. "It's love, is all. Same as me. Only whiter, and with crazy hair."

Luke nodded, flashing his friend a quick smile. "I wish there was something I could do for her."

"Unless you can fix her husband," he shook his head and shrugged. "Then all we can do is help with the day to day stuff. Like when my mom lost her mom - you know? People came by and made sure there was dinner, and us kids were taken care of. Reminding us there was people who cared. And that life goes on, man. When you're ready to let it."

"Hmmm," Luke nodded. "I guess so."

"Oh, and in your case – stopping _your_ girl from making food for _our_ girl."

"It wasn't that bad," Luke scoffed, chuckling.

"It wasn't _good_, either," Skillz laughed.

_**Fourth Week of September**_

"Dark?"

"That's the word Haley used," Luke confirmed. "She says that the doctors confirmed that he's got full control back now. Walking is just a matter of him just doing it and building his muscles back up. But I'm not sure he even wants to, anymore."

"Oh," she grimaced, turning away from the closet to look at her boyfriend.

Luke was so tired of worrying about Nathan; so tired of being scared for him.

Beside him on the bed was Lindsey's carryon. She was packing for a week in New York – part of her split job arrangement, and all Luke wanted to do was toss the damn thing down the hall and make her stay. She was the sanity and kindness that made sense in a world that so often didn't.

"You're doing everything you can, Luke," she cupped his chin with her hand. He gave her a half-smile as she turned back to her packing.

"I've tried to put the heat on him a couple of times now," He acknowledged with a nod. "Try and motivate him out of whatever funk this is, but…"

"He's pretty impervious to outside pressure," Lindsey glanced at him. "He has to be, to play the way he does."

"_Did_," Lucas corrected, sighing. "It's Haley and Jamie that are getting the brunt of it, you know."

"Luke," Lindsey said softly, sitting next to him and wrapping her arms around his body. "Imagine if you couldn't write anymore… how devastating that would be."

"Oh, most days I don't have to imagine," he groaned. She leaned her head against his shoulder and he stroked her long, silky hair. "But this is…bigger than that. Nathan is falling to someplace that I don't know there is any recovery from, Lindz. And try as I might, I can't save him."

"He has to save himself," she agreed. "And he will."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because in the more than two years I've known your brother, one thing has been obvious – as much as he loves basketball? He loves Haley…he loves _his family_… more."

Luke reached his arms over hers and kissed the top of Lindsey's head. "I hope to God you're right," he sighed, closing his eyes. "I really do."

She took a deep breath and stood up, tucking some more clothes into the suitcase. "I hate to leave you," she told him. "With all this going on."

"I hate for you to go," he responded, his expression earnest.

"Just _promise_ me you'll try and get some pages done while I'm gone, OK? Because speaking of putting heat on someone, it's getting really serious back in New York…"

"OK, OK," he reached out and tugged her back onto the bed, into his lap. "I guess with all my free time since I won't have you to distract me…" She nestled her forehead against his throat.

"Luke!" She shouted, surprised as Luke pulled them down onto the bed.

"Lindsey," he responded, kissing her. "I have an idea how to spend the hours before your flight," he unbuttoned the top of her blouse, reaching under the clothing to stroke her neck, her shoulder.

"Oh, you do?" she purred.

"I do," he promised.

_**First Week of October**_

"Watch out for the Board, they like to pull late-night meetings to try and control things."

"How do I fight that?"

"Work with Turner – he won't stand up to them, but he's good as an early warning system."

"OK," Luke nodded. "What about the schedule? _No way_ I want to face Masonboro in the first 5 games…"

"Yeah, that's gonna be a tough one. Masonboro's coach is a dick and he'll never agree to a change that helps Tree Hill. But the final say for when games are played is with the school principal. Turner can help you there, too, but you got to play him right. Give him a really good reason to reschedule the game for later in the season and he'll sell it."

"Got it," Luke sighed. "Why do I think this was easier with the Cobra's?"

"Because it _was_," Whitely laughed heartily on the other end of the phone. "High school sports is 5 parts crazy impossible rules, 10 parts politics, and 20 parts aggravation. You're gonna need all the luck you can get."

"Oh, _thanks_," he grumbled.

"You're gonna be fine. And I've got the Internet all fired up to listen in."

"Thanks, Coach," Luke told him.

"Go get 'em, _Coach_," Whitey replied, a smile in his voice.

_**Second Week of October**_

He stood in front of the café. The paper covering the windows didn't conceal them entirely, and he could see a sliver of the inside – illuminated dimly by the streetlight.

**Peyton**.

"_You're always saving me."_

He felt like his guts had taken a direct hit. Like he wanted to throw up, but couldn't.

**Peyton.**

"_We just…we got carried away. It didn't mean anything."_

He'd added it up once, and they'd had barely more than 100 days together. From the kiss at the championship until the moment she'd gotten on that plane for California. Just over 100 days physically with each other, as partners and lovers and everything else. Before the beginning of the end.

**Peyton.**

"_The truth is, I want all the same things that you want. I do. And I want them with you."_

He'd had a thousand days with Lindsey. A factor of ten, when you did the math.

OK, that wasn't fair.

Lindsey had been championing his book, and spending endless nights with him around his class schedule and basketball duties - editing and arguing, even cheering at the Cobra's second championship as she'd been smoothing the details at the press junkets. But it had taken over a year before he'd dropped the wall between them and truly let her in.

Once he did, Lindsey had become even more of a friend. More than just a lover. She'd sat with him in the hospital after Nathan's accident, taken Jamie to the zoo when things got too intense, organized their calls, and just about rearranged her life for him ever since.

He loved her. _God_, how he loved her. He never wanted to wake up and face a day where she wasn't the partner in it all – the details, the mundane, the highs, the lows, and all the sweeping gestures of life.

So why was he so sick inside?

**Peyton.**

"_Pinks are pinker and blues are bluer and even my favorite foods taste yummier."_

He rested his palm against his chest and felt his lungs stretch and deflate with air. The lettering on the café was starting to fade, and it made him sad. Made him struggle with all the nostalgia that was flooding him.

Peyton had just appeared in the night. At the River Court, where she had no business being. And he'd almost reached out and hugged her. As though she'd just come back from running to the store, instead of California.

He'd actually had to remind his hands to stay empty.

Because she looked _exactly_ like the woman that he'd meant to spend his life with.

She wasn't.

She'd stayed true to the scared-eyed girl with skinny legs he'd glimpsed so long ago. She'd walked away from the leap of faith, the one he'd made…without her.

She'd said no.

**Peyton.**

"_If I say I love you right now, will you hold it against me?"_

He had his life in order, _dammit_. He had the house the way he liked it, and the coaching job with Skillz and the Ravens, and Jamie, and all the reviews of his first book tucked away in a leather book Haley had made for him.

And Lindsey.

And if he couldn't write, or if Nathan and Haley and Jamie were struggling, or if he'd just taken on the world's worst basketball club – none of that was about missing Peyton.

He'd walked away from her one smoggy California morning and flown 6 hours to the other side of the continent and into the rest of his life. And since then….

Since then, OK, maybe it had ached. A little. Some things just _did_. Like missing Keith, especially when Jamie or Lily smiled a certain way. Like missing being able to play basketball, the way he used to.

He had Lindsey.

Who'd believed in him from the start. Who taken a huge chance on him, with arms flung open. Who staked her heart and her reputation and her _life_ on him.

The woman he'd fight to the death to protect and keep. The woman who curled up on the bed and listened while he talked. The woman who'd had to learn the difference between a Princeton Offence and the Flex just to keep up with the family's dinner conversation. The woman who looked so hot in one of his shirts and nothing else…

Lindsey.

**Peyton.**

"_God, Luke I missed you."_

"_I have someone. I'm with someone."_

He flipped open his phone and pressed a button. "Hello?" her sleepy voice answered after the second ring.

"I woke you up."

"Just a little," she gave a small laugh. "What's up?"

"Peyton's back in town."

There was a long silence. It stretched through the lights turning yellow, and then red, down the empty street.

"I know," she finally said.

"You do? How?" he demanded.

"Brooke emailed me they were coming. I mean, not when or anything. Just that it was on her mind."

"Why? Do you know Peyton once called Tree Hill empty of anything except two dead mothers and a pscho?"

"If she's here then she probably needed to come, Lucas. She has unfinished business. You both do."

"You're wrong."

"I'm not."

"You are," he insisted, turning on the sidewalk and looking up at the stars. As he watched, one shot across the sky like a comet. He blinked, unsure he'd actually seen it, and then laughed.

"What is it?"

"Uh, a star. A shooting star," he told her. "It doesn't matter. You know what? Whatever Peyton needs to do with her life – it's not about me. I'm with Lindsey."

"I know," Haley's tired voice echoed in his ear.

He looked up at the sky again. "Are you still there?" he asked.

"Just nodding off a bit," she admitted. "Hey, Luke?"

"Yeah, Hales?"

"Is Lindsey home yet?"

"Yeah, she got in tonight."

"So…where are you?"

He chuckled. "In front of the café."

"Of course you are," she sighed. "In 8 hours, I'm an official teacher and you're an official coach."

"Blows your mind, right?"

"Go home, Luke. Go home and get some rest. Go home to Lindsey."

"OK," he agreed. "Good night, Hales."

"Good night," she exhaled, hanging up. Beside her, Jamie slept deeply and crosswise on the bed. "_Your uncle is in big trouble_," she whispered with a smile. Then she tugged herself a bit of the blanket and went back to sleep.

Across town, Lucas snapped his phone shut and gave the skies one last look. With a nod to himself, he began walking home.


	14. Season 5 Jamie's Intermezzo

_**Fourth Week of September**_

The crash woke him up. Jamie sat up, his heart beating fast, and looked around.

"Chester!" he called. "CHESTER!"

The bunny looked up and hopped to a different corner of the crate.

Another thump, from downstairs.

There were definitely robbers in the house. Or monsters. The creepy kind, like you saw on Scooby Doo. Only for _real_, not just masks with people inside them.

A quieter thump.

_That did it! _

Jamie slipped from bed and ran as fast as he could to his Momma's room. She was sitting up, already awake. And when she saw him she held out her arms and he just knew she was going to make everything all right.

She made a little pocket for him in the covers and it was cool at first and smelled like Momma on the pillow. And then it got warmer, and nice feeling, and the tired came back.

As he drifted off to sleep, he remembered that he'd left his cape in his bedroom. For a minute he worried. But Momma sure felt like a cape; she made things safe like a cape. Maybe she was a superhero, in disguise.

He bet she was.

Another tiny thud.

"Everything's all right," she said, smoothing his hair the way she did. "We love you so much, sweetie. Everything's going to be fine. You just rest, OK?"

He tried to remind her…of something. But his mouth was really sleepy.

"And Chester, too," she whispered.

Momma _always_ knew.

_**First Week of October**_

He _knew_ the picture would make it better. He knew it, because he'd colored really carefully and made his words just like Momma taught him.

As he snuck down the steps to surprise Daddy with it, his hoop had come flying out of nowhere and it really scared him with a big crash.

_Why was Daddy trying to hurt him? _

He didn't know what to do.

"Jamie!" His dad yelled like he was in pain or something. So Jamie went down the stairs with all his courage on, and gave Daddy the picture.

"_Son_," Daddy said, and it made his chest feel funny. "Daddy's sorry. For everything."

He watched as his Dad stood up really tall like he used to be. "Come here," he said as reached his arms around Jamie.

Daddy hugs used to be the biggest things in the world. Jamie dropped his face onto his Dad's shoulder, and he never wanted to let go.

_**Second Week of October**_

"Superman," Jamie announced.

"Oh, no way," his Uncle Lucas argued as he pulled to a stop at a red light. He glanced back at Jamie in his car seat and made a face. "Green Arrow, totally. Or Batman – but not the movie versions. And especially not Val Kilmer."

"I don't know who Val Kimmer is, Uncle Luke," he said.

"Well, let's keep it that way. Ice cream," he prompted.

"Uncle Skillz is much better at this game," Jamie sighed. "Chocolate."

"I knew that," Luke admitted. "Uncle Skillz, huh? Even though I am _also_ your Godfather?"

"Does that mean you're married to Brooke?"

"Uh…" Luke coughed. "Why would you ask that?"

_He hated it when his Uncle answered a question with a question. _"Because she says she's my Godmother. Does that mean you were married to her when I was born? Does Lindsey know Brooke? How come she knows so much about me and I don't remember her?"

"OK," Uncle Lucas laughed. "One at a time! No, I was never married to Brooke. But she has been my friend for a long time."

"Friend like Lindsey?"

"Uh, no…well…it's complicated. A different kind of friend."

"Like Chester?"

"Well, kind of more like that – but don't tell Brooke, OK?"

"OK. So why does she know me so good?"

"Well, the word is well," Luke corrected. "Uh, because we've sent Brooke emails and pictures about you over the years, I suspect."

"YOU did?"

"Well, mostly your mom," Luke admitted.

"Uh huh," Jamie sighed, frustrated.

They pulled up in front of Uncle Skillz' apartment and Luke helped him out of the car and slipped his cape back on for him the way he liked it.

"What's the face you're making, buddy?"

"I think I need to talk to Uncle Skillz about Brooke," Jamie told him, man-to-man.

"Why?"

"Because his voice doesn't make that funny noise when he talks about her."

"I do not make a funny voice," Lucas denied, pushing open the lobby door and starting up the stairs.

"Yes, you do," Jamie shook his head and wondered why adults were so _dumb_ sometimes.

_**Third Week of October**_

"Right about now…" His dad sang softly with the music as he walked another lap in the pool.

"The funk soul brother," Jamie finished, as he swam beside him.

"Check it out now," Momma sang loudly from the edge, where her legs were dangling in.

"The funk soul brother!!" Jamie and his dad shouted.

"Right about now, the funk soul brother, right...about...now…" his mom sang, then she jumped into the pool with them and swam over. "Know what I think?"

"What?" he asked, holding on to Daddy's shoulders as they rounded for another lap of the pool.

"I think I could beat you both in a race," she challenged.

"Oh, you do?" Daddy disputed, but his face was smiling so Jamie knew he wasn't so mad anymore.

The sun was sinking, but it was still kinda warm. The new Nanny, Carrie, had left before dinner and now it was just Momma and Daddy and him.

Suddenly, his parents were splashing and Jamie hung on real tight to his Dad's neck as they zoomed pretty fast across the pool.

"I win!" Momma yelled.

"You had a little advantage, don't you think?" Daddy chided. "OK, so what do I owe you?"

Momma kissed Daddy and then floated close and wrapped her arms around them both. And it wasn't yucky, at all.


	15. Season 5 Haley's Da Capo

_A/N: OK, this catches us up to the first half of Episode 5.03 – "My way home is through you." Next chapter will cover the rest of Season 5 (ish) – I think, anyway._

_**First Week of October**_

She was sitting at the picnic table, lost in thought. Trying to keep her mind off everything. It wasn't working. She looked down at the river, remembering way back when they used to eat their lunches there. Back when slipping off the high school's campus was forbidden – and this basketball court was almost another home.

"Hey," he said, joining her.

"Oh," she looked up, startled. "Lucas! Oh my God, I was just thinking about you! What are you doing here?"

He took a seat opposite her and dropped his messenger bag on the ground. "I took a chance you'd be here – I was just picking up some of last year's game tapes and the keys to the office."

"Excited?"

"Uh, yes and no. There's been a lot of changes in 4 years, and none of them good. I mean, these kids should have been practicing since August and the game schedule is…" his voice faded away when he saw she wasn't paying attention.

Haley fidgeted and looked off at the court. In her mind she could see a dozen basketball games – a hundred – a _thousand_ played out. Lucas' happy shouts. Skillz shouting backtalk. And Nathan's strong body and long arms and fierce grin whenever he made the shot... And then it went dark.

"Hales?"

"Sorry, what?" she summoned up half a smile.

"Haley? Are you in trouble?" He reached over and took her hand.

Suddenly she knew if she said one word, she'd break into a thousand pieces.

"Haley? Talk to me, buddy," he insisted.

Taking a deep breath that filled her lungs, Haley forced herself to meet his eyes.

"No," he said, denial thick in his voice. "It's not that bad – is it?"

"It's getting there," her voice cracked. "I don't know what to do."

Luke quickly moved around the table and took her in his arms, laying his cheek on her hair and whispering to her that everything would be all right.

But Haley wasn't 4, and she knew it wouldn't be.

"Last night he got so drunk that he attacked and crashed the bookcases, the ones with his trophies. Jamie got frightened and ended up sleeping with me – which is becoming a habit. When I saw the mess this morning…" she sighed, unable to really explain it all.

He nodded slowly, taking it in. "Are you…afraid of him?" It was not a question he ever thought he would ask.

It was not a question she ever thought she'd need to think to answer. "Not for me or Jamie, physically," she shook her head. "But knowing what you know now, would you go back and let him into that race car? I'm afraid of what _might_ happen, in a moment of just stupid drunken anger. I'm afraid of what seeing his father like this will do to Jamie. I'm afraid of how angry and tired and bitter it's making me."

"Hales…" He sighed. "Do you want me to come stay a few nights? Maybe have him come stay at my place? I don't know – shake things up, give you guys a break?" His eyes sought hers, trying to read her thoughts. "I want to help."

She considered him, and nodded. "I know. But I'm not sure Nathan would take too well to being '_handled_' if you know what I mean. It might make things worse," she rubbed her forehead in frustration. "Things set him off, and he just slips over this invisible edge. He's _so_ unhappy, and lost without basketball. But nothing I've said or done has helped and..." her voice trailed off as she looked at her best friend helplessly.

He nodded. "So how's Jamie doing?"

"Not good," she admitted. "He's confused, and clinging to me, and…"

"Then what if I hang with the little guy tomorrow? When I get back from New York?"

"He'd love that," she exhaled.

"I'll talk to Nathan again, too."

"I don't know if it will help. I think he's beyond listening," she shrugged, defeated. "My heart says that I'm really not ready to give up, yet. I just don't how much longer I can hang on."

Lucas tilted her chin up to look at him. "You're not alone, you know that – right? I love you, Hales. And I'm right here."

"I know," she leaned her forehead against his, felt safe again for the first time in days. "I love you, too, you know."

"Yeah," he kissed her cheek softly, and then wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her tight against his chest. "You're gonna be all right," he told her again. "I promise…"

She nodded and tried to smile. This time, she could almost believe.

_**Second Week of October**_

"Tell me about her," Brooke prompted, sketching on a large white pad that took up most of the riverfront café's table.

"What's there to say?" Haley shrugged, sipping her coffee and savoring the hit of caffeine.

"For Peyton's sake? Tell me she's an evil witch who happens to be trapped in the body of a game show hostess and any second now our boy's gonna see her true nature," Brooke waggled her eyebrows, making Haley laugh.

"Actually? She's great," Haley disabused her of the notion.

"Dammit," Brooke swore. "I was totally hoping for Cruella DeGorgeous."

"For Peyton's sake?" Haley shook her head, chuckling. "Never mind poor Lucas for the past 2 or 3 years if that were true!"

"It really has been that long, hasn't it?" Brooke tapped the pencil against her chin and looked thoughtful. "I can't believe how big Jamie is."

"Like his father," Haley smiled.

"Yeah, OK, that's another thing," she looked up at her old roommate seriously. "What's going on there?"

"One day up, another day down," Haley sighed. "I mean, basketball has been his passion since he was a little kid, Brooke. You know that. Every free moment of his life has been dedicated to it – it's not like he has a backup hobby or anything," she gave Brooke a rueful smile. "He feels like he has nothing left to live for."

Brooke nodded slowly. "I'm sorry," she said solemnly.

"For what? You didn't make him get in that stupid fight."

"For not being here."

"You sent the world's largest fruit basket. You called the hospital. You set up VIP things for us to do. You were there in spirit, Brooke."

"I wasn't _there_," Brooke repeated, strongly and clearly. "I could say I hate hospitals, and it's true. But the reality is that my assistant did a lot of that. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I've been down a rabbit hole for years now. A designer rabbit hole, full of fabulous fashion and really cute boys," she smiled a bit. "But I haven't been there for the people I care about. And I'm really sorry, Haley."

"Thank you," Haley blushed; it was like having a laser pointed at you when Brooke got all serious. "Does this mean you're out of the rabbit hole, now?"

"It means I'm trying to have more balance in my life. I've realized that without family – and friends – the rest of it is pretty empty. It gets old fast," she revealed. "I've missed so much of my godson's life; I'd like to start making up for that."

"You don't have to make up for anything, Brooke," Haley disagreed. "We've all been focused on our dreams. That's not a bad thing – look at all you've accomplished."

"With no one to share it with," Brooke pointed out.

"What about your mother?"

"Oh, especially not my mother," she laughed, not a nice sound. "So tell me about Jamie, not just the stuff you've sent in the emails. What does he like?"

"He likes his bunny, Chester, and basketball – of course – and blue is his favorite color. He likes macaroni and cheese but his preferred meal is breakfast – any time of the day. He's _really_ smart – he started teaching himself to read at, like, 3," she chuckled. "I better stop there, because I only have 45 minutes for lunch. I know - why don't you get to know him for yourself? Spend some time with him?"

"That would be OK?" Brooke asked.

"That would be _more_ than OK," Haley assured her.

"When?"

Haley laughed at her eagerness. It felt good. "How about tomorrow morning? You could watch him while I'm at school – or is that too much?"

"No, it's _perfect_. I'd like that," she smiled. "So…how are _you_, TeacherMom?"

"There are good days."

Brooke looked at her. "OK," Haley admitted ruefully. "It's been tough."

"Yeah," she put down her pencils. "It's going to get better, though. You said before that he doesn't know what he has left to live for – but Haley, I just can't see that. I'm sorry, but I can't. Six years ago, I watched Tree Hill's hottie bad boy turn himself inside out for you."

Haley shook her head, wishing there was a way to explain everything that had happened over the past months. "That was a long time ago."

"Listen," Brooke insisted. "I was the last one to be supportive of you guys, because I _totally_ did not get it," she wrinkled her nose. "If you weren't pregnant, then it had to be _something_. I kept trying to figure it out. Peyton would tell me over and over that it was love – but that's a lie, right? Love like that can't exist." She cocked her head. "But it _does_, Haley – doesn't it? When I think of Nathan Scott – I picture two things: his '23' jersey, and his wedding ring. Maybe he's had to hang up the jersey, OK? But he's still wearing that ring. And sooner or later, he's gonna remember why. He's going to look at you, he's going to look at that beautiful godson of mine, and he's going to come roaring back to life. That's the Nathan we all know and…put up with," she gave Haley a crooked smile. "Have some faith, OK?"

Haley looked down at her own ring and back at Brooke. "That's a pretty impassioned argument for the power of marriage and family, from the girl who's One Tree's answer to 'Sex and the City'," Haley teased.

"We all grow up," Brooke shrugged, and went back to sketching.

Haley watched her old friend with considering eyes, and let the matter drop.

_**Third Week of October**_

"Did you take the pillows upstairs?"

Haley nodded as she loaded the dishes into the dishwasher.

"Uh, OK," Nathan wasn't sure if that meant she wanted him to start sleeping in their bed again or if she'd just been tidying. In his gut, he'd only just realized his life could go on but Haley was struggling with it. His wife was walking a fine line emotionally and Nathan wondered if he should push it.

She dropped silverware into the dishwasher basket and could almost hear him thinking. Haley didn't know what she would say when he brought it up. Her hand trembled a little and she stood up, still not facing him.

"Do you want me to keep sleeping on the couch?" Nathan asked quietly. "Because I will, Hales."

In one side of her mind, she desperately wanted her husband back. She wanted it so bad, it _hurt_. On the other hand, she'd seen him rally more than once in the past months. And she didn't know if she had it in her to trust again.

"I know it hasn't been easy…" he began, helplessly. "I mean…"

"It's fine," she interrupted. "It's silly for you to sleep on the couch. We have perfectly good beds upstairs." Haley wiped the counter clean an extra time.

He heard the word 'beds' and winced. "Could you maybe face me?"

She turned, slowly. Put down the sponge slowly. Then lifted her eyes to his blue ones and it was her undoing. _Damn those eyes_.

"I want to sleep next to my wife again, Hales," he confessed, praying _Oh God_ that she wasn't going to shoot him down. "I miss you."

The war inside Haley's mind battled for several long moments. In her mind, she imagined the warm skin of his body, the sound of him breathing. It twisted in her stomach. Finally she said softly; "OK."

Nathan exhaled in relief. Awkwardly, he reached out a hand from his crutches. She reached back and held it. "Thank you," he stopped himself from saying anything more. She was like a small bird, ready to jump – and he didn't blame her. He closed his eyes against how close he'd been, just a couple of nights before, to doing something really stupid.

"Uh," she cleared her throat and stepped back. "Do you need help getting…"

"No," he let go of her, reluctantly. "It ain't pretty, but I can do it."

She nodded and turned back to the sink. "Well, I'll be up when I'm done here."

"Let me help," he asked.

Her heart was pounding so loudly in her chest she thought it would explode. "No, I don't mind it, really."

Nathan sighed. With a grunt, he turned and headed for the stairs.

She listened to him go and felt all the tension release from her body. Haley could hardly believe what she'd come home to; and now she would sleep next to him tonight. Haley didn't know if she should laugh or cry.

Feeling the tears on her cheeks, she fought down a crazy giggle and thought; _both_.

Haley heard him, navigating the stairs. Wondered how long it would take for her to find the courage to follow.

With a moan, she looked up at the ceiling – maybe hoping an answer would be written there.

_It wasn't._

She rinsed another dish, and loaded it in the dishwasher.

_**Fourth Week of October**_

"Thanks for lunch," Haley stopped on the sidewalk in front of where her car was parked.

"Thanks for coming out, I know you have a crazy schedule lately."

"Not as crazy as yours, living in two places."

"Actually, it's not as bad as you think," Lindsey shrugged. "Just tell me again…"

"Just because Peyton is in town, doesn't necessarily mean that's why he's writing. I've seen how he loves you, Lindsey," she said seriously.

"And just because _you_ hired a hot nanny, doesn't mean that's why he's walking," Lindsey responded, her expression earnest. "That man loves _you_, and Jamie, and it was just time – you know?"

Haley huffed a breath and nodded. "It does feel like things are stirring up a little," she acknowledged. "But for the better, right?"

"I hope so," Lindsey laughed. "Although, I think we all need a break from the drama for a while."

"Well," Haley grimaced. "With Peyton and Brooke in town…"

Lindsey laughed out loud. "Thanks a lot for _that_!"

"I have to get back to school. Say hi for you?"

"Yeah," Lindsey agreed, her eyes warming up at the thought of her boyfriend. "And Haley, really, I think what's going on with Nathan is so good, right?"

"Right," Haley agreed, trying to banish any doubt. "It is."


	16. Season 5 Home

_A/N: OK, this is all the way through 5x13. The 'Luke is Stupid' months will be covered in the last chapter, next. I'm really looking forward to hearing what you think, because adding on these chapters has been a huge challenge. The first part of the last scene is lifted verbatim from the end of 5x13 and then extended by me. Probably my favorite scene in all of season 5, and it was tooooo short.  
_

_BTW: PG-13 warning here to be on the safe side for some language and mild smut._

_If you can't tell, I had 'Home' by the Foo Fighters playing a lot as I wrote this (song that is played at the end of the episode)._

* * *

_**Halloween**_

"That's karma for you," Lucas laughed, he pulled two waters from the small fridge and tossed one to his brother. "You used to say the same thing, man."

"No, I didn't" Nate argued, catching the bottle with one hand and twisting off the cap. "The fadeaway's got its uses, I always knew that."

"Oh, _riiiight_," Luke shook his head and sniggered. "So what's my godson going to wear tonight? Last I heard, it was a choice between Superman and…_you_."

"Nah, I lost out to the Man of Steel," Nate admitted. "Hey, you know what he read to me the other night? '_Then, out of the box came Thing 2 and Thing 1_!'"

"Ooooh, man," Lucas laughed out loud at that. "You mean, Thing, Thing 1, and Thing 3?"

"I am now a certified expert on the _Cat in the Hat_ and I can tell you – even in comparison? Those guys were morons."

"No doubt," his brother shook his head. "But they did us favor."

"How do you figure? We got into it royally that night, got deserted in the middle of nowhere, and then practically had _Deliverance_ play out on us in the woods. "

"First time we ever had each other's back," Luke pointed out.

"Ah," Nathan nodded and raised his bottle. "Good point. Here's to the Things, then."

"The Things," Luke tapped bottles over his desk and took a long swallow.

"Something else happened that night," Nate looked thoughtful.

"Yeah, the girls," he remembered. "Outta nowhere. Beyond _Twilight Zone_."

"I was actually thinking about Haley. That was sort of the beginning of things for us. She did this thing…"

"Showed up wearing that damn bracelet, you mean."

"You knew about that?"

"I saw it before the game; why did you think I was so pissed?"

"You were _always_ pissed back then, I didn't think it was anything new."

"Well, you were an ass."

"True. But I was the ass whose bracelet she was wearing."

"True," Luke conceded. "I tried to talk her out of it, you know. Told her you were the axis of evil."

"See how much she listened to you," he mocked.

"Haley's stubbornness is legendary. At least I got a godson out of the deal."

"And a brother," Nate's eyes flickered to Luke's.

Lucas nodded slowly, and they shared a long look. "Remember our first Halloween at Gilmore?"

"Oh, _God_," Nathan chuckled. "The goat."

"Ram," Luke corrected.

"Man, I was the one who helped get that damn animal out of the bell tower the next day and I am here to tell you - that ram was a _goat_."

"Ewww, no details!"

Nathan grinned. "So what time are you and Lindsey coming over tonight?"

"Dinner, I think, but we're booking out pretty early. She wants to give out candy at the house; her first year living there, officially. You should see it - I think she bought like 6 tons of chocolate."

"Oh, she's starting traditions?" Nate raised an eyebrow.

"It's cool," Luke tried to look nonchalant.

"You're in deep with this girl."

"I'm in all the way."

"Even with Peyton in town?"

"She said _no_, man," He reminded his brother.

"She looks like she wants to change her answer."

"Yeah, well, maybe she does," Luke gave it to Nathan straight. "But it's like one big head game with her. I told Haley once – that girl is covered head to toe in issues."

"And one of them is that she loves you."

"I can't even imagine not being with Lindsey."

"And yet, you wrote a bestseller that was basically a love letter to Peyton," Nathan finished his water and tossing the empty bottle into the recycle bin on the floor

"That was then," Luke muttered. "This is now."

"Speaking of which, I got trouble of my own," Nate sighed. "And I guess I should go hunt him up and try again."

"With Quentin, I think that's a _serious_ case of head-meet-brick-wall."

"Well, I'm married to the Patron Saint of Lost Causes – so, if it takes getting a little bloody..."

"Good luck," Luke acknowledged as Nate struggled and rose onto his crutches. "By the way, how _is_ Haley now? I mean…"

"You mean, since I got my head out of my ass?"

"Yeah," Luke agreed with a smile.

"Day at a time," Nathan exhaled. "We'll get there. We've gotten back there before." Luke held out his fist, and Nate bumped it. "You know, you didn't really let me thank you, before…"

"Don't," Luke interrupted. "We're family. It's what we do for each other."

Nathan looked him in the eye and nodded, his face serious.

"Get out of here," Luke instructed. "Go stop Quentin before he does something really stupid."

"How do you know he's even up to something?" Nathan grunted and turned towards the door.

"Easy. He's awake, isn't he?"

"Yeah," Nate laughed as he propelled himself out and down the hall. "You got a point, there."

_**The Thursday before Thanksgiving**_

It was barely 65 degrees outside, and Nathan heard the splashing. Without letting himself think about it, he walked over to the French windows and peeked out.

She was doing laps.

_Nude_.

Nathan squeezed his eyes shut and turned away.

"Hey, where are you?" Haley asked sleepily, her hand on his empty pillow.

He jumped in shock at the sound of her voice. Glancing back down at the pool and then over to his wife. "Uh, can't sleep," Nathan admitted.

"Do I hear something?" She looked around, more awake.

He shook his head and closed the door completely. "What are you doing up?"

"Missing you. Why are you up? Are the nightmares back?"

"Uh," he exhaled and walked over to the bed. He climbed in next to her, sitting up against the headboard. "I dunno. It's not like nightmares, really…just, I guess, a lot on my mind."

She pushed the hair out of her eyes and sat up next to him. "Tell me," she urged.

"Just…trying to get used to the fact that this is it, I guess. Life after basketball."

Haley weaved her fingers with his and nodded. "What about things with Quentin? How is that going?"

"Oh," he groaned. "If I was half that bad to Whitey back in the day, I think I owe him a fruit basket or something."

"Or _something_," she laughed.

He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Uh, should we talk about it?"

"About…what, Hales?" He looked into her eyes, confused.

"This," she sighed. "We haven't…uh…"

He leaned down and kissed her. "Was the other week a dream?" he teased.

"That was before Carrie moved in," Haley wrinkled her nose. "I think that…"

"I understand," he shushed her. "And with everything that…"

She shook her head. "That's not what I meant."

He slipped out of bed, walked over and closed the bedroom door. Nathan turned and met her gaze. "Is that what you meant?"

"I think so," she sat up a little more. Her heart beating loud in her ears.

He looked over at his wife, at how tiny she seemed sometimes. From the moment he'd seen her that first time, he'd held a little of himself back. Thinking, he could crush her with his size, his will, his strength.

_Of course, as it turned out she was every bit as strong as he was – stronger, even, in her own way. _

"Come to bed?" Haley asked, a little breathless.

"Oh," he gave her his crooked smile and walked as quickly as he could make his feet move to her side. "I was _hoping_ you'd say that."

_**Early Tuesday morning, after Thanksgiving**_

"Buddy?" he said softly into the phone.

"Hey," she answered, through her tears.

"Do you want me to come over?"

"No," she sighed, pressing her hand to her forehead. "He's there, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he's, uh, _not_ sleeping on the couch."

"Yeah," she began crying again.

"He says nothing happened, that she ambushed him," Luke said softly, glancing at the picture of him and Haley on his bedside table.

"Like Peyton ambushed you?"

"Don't, Hales…I know you're hurting right now, but please…_don't_."

"I trusted him," she sobbed.

"I know," he agreed.

"In my shower!"

"I know," he said again. "Heard you tossed her out on her ear."

"Yeah," she sniffled.

"You gonna let him talk to you?"

"In the morning," she conceded. "Right now…"

"Yeah," he acknowledged how hurt and confused she was. "Look, there's…"

"The _nanny_," Haley began weeping again. "I mean, it's like a cliché – right? Brooke warned me and I was so _stupid_!"

"Brooke wrote the book on ambush," Luke pointed out, mildly. "But there is no way you could of known – she was great with Jamie, right?"

"Oh, how do I tell Jamie?" Haley shivered, wrapping her arms around her legs – the phone tucked in the crook of her neck. "How do I explain where his nanny and daddy went to?"

"You'll be fine," Luke promised. "Just tell him as much of the truth as he can handle; and be there for him."

"Sounds like advice your mom would give," Haley sighed, still bundled up in a ball.

"Well, she's one of the best two mothers I know," Luke said softly. "This is gonna look better in the morning."

"I'm not going to be able to sleep," Haley groaned.

"Then I'm coming over," he told her, getting off his bed.

"No," she argued. "Stay there. I'm gonna pack all that bitch's stuff up and get it out of the house. Then I'll have a cup of tea and see what infomercials fascinated Nathan all those months."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure," she wiped her face and forced herself to straighten up.

"You want me to hit him once for you?"

"No," she made sort of a sad attempt at a laugh. "You have a heart condition and he was recently paralyzed. Let's not compound the issue with another trip to the hospital, OK?"

"OK," a little humor echoed in his voice. "Try to sleep, though, please?"

"I will," she promised, hanging up.

Back at Lucas' house, he headed down the hall. Nathan was sitting on the couch, staring at a picture taken after Gilmore's first championship. He looked up at the sound of his brother's arrival.

"She's OK, considering," Luke exhaled and shook his head.

"Pissed as hell and hurt," Nathan guessed. "I should be there."

"You're not strong enough to make it through me – yet," Luke pointed out. "Wait until morning."

"_Yet_," Nathan met his eyes. "OK."

Luke began shuffling back to his own bedroom.

"Hey, man?" Nate called.

"Yeah?" Luke glanced back over his shoulder.

"Thanks," Nathan's eyes were full of pain and gratitude.

"Don't mention it, brother," he answered, with a gentle look. And went to bed.

_**The Second Monday of December**_

They sat on the porch, side by side. "How are you doing?"

"I'm OK," Jamie sighed.

"Yeah?" Nate rubbed his son's back, more as comfort than anything else.

"How many hours 'til Aunt Karen and Lily get here?"

"Uh…all I know is that it's sometime today. We'll have to ask your uncle if they've called again."

"Will you come with me and Momma to see them?"

"No, Jimmy Jam. Not this time…" Nathan tried not to let his disappointment show in his eyes.

"You've been in time-out for a long time, Daddy. I want you to come home_ now_."

"I know, buddy," Nate wanted to grab up his son close to him and hold him tight. Instead he told himself to breathe calmly. _Stay_ _calm_. "I was there for the party, right?"

"But when I woke up, you were gone again."

"I told you I would be," he reminded him. The morning sun was in his eyes, making them water up a little bit.

"Dawg, if we're gonna make practice – we gotta book," Skillz stepped out of the house, a bag over his shoulder.

A moment later, Luke pulled up. He got out of the car and called to his nephew. "Hey, little man, wanna go for drive over to the docks?"

"What about practice?" Skillz demanded.

"You and Nate can handle practice," Luke assured him. "My mom just called, they should make land in an hour or so."

"Wow, they made good time."

"You seen that boat? It can outrun my boy's 'Stang here," Skillz boasted.

"I don't think so!" Luke laughed.

Jamie reached out and jumped into his father's arms. "I want to stay with you," Jamie clung tightly.

Nathan held him for a moment, his hand sifted into his son's spiky hair and his lips hard against the warm skin of his son's cheek. "Yeah, I know," he whispered. He pursed his lips and told himself to stay calm again, breathing deep through his nose. "But your Aunt Karen hasn't seen you in a long, long time. You have to be there, OK?"

"What about you?"

"I'll see you at the wedding, I promise."

Reluctantly, Jamie let himself be moved into Luke's arms. The two brothers locked eyes for a moment, and then Luke buckled Jamie carefully into the car seat.

"We're gonna go get your mom, OK?" he assured his godson.

"OK," Jamie said quietly, looking out the car window at his dad.

Nathan waved to Jamie as they pulled away, and then looked back at Skillz. He had no words.

Skillz lifted a hand to Nathan's shoulder. "You're gonna make this right, for him," he promised his friend. "And for Haley."

"I don't know how," Nate admitted, his voice hoarse.

"Start by not giving up," Skillz advised.

Nate sucked in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Uh," he cleared his throat. "We should probably get to the school. Before Quentin incites a riot."

"OK," Skillz made sure Luke's door was locked behind him and they headed off to Nate's car.

_**After Jamie Came Back**_

"All right," Skillz looked at three of his closest friends and nodded, almost to himself. "Everyone else is gone. Anything else needs doing?"

Haley looked at him, over her sleeping son's head. "No, we're all right."

Skillz wanted to beg her forgiveness, say something – anything – to make it right. There was nothing to say. "Then I'm off. I checked the back door and it's locked tight, so if you just get…"

"I got it," Luke said, following Skillz to the door. He made sure the lock was thrown after the other man had headed away, down the walk to the driveway.

Nathan stared at his wife, at his son. "I'm staying," he said firmly.

"I know," she didn't look up.

"I'm staying, too," Lucas announced, as he walked back in the room.

"What about Lindsey?"

"She's headed back to New York, I won't be able to reach her until tomorrow anyway. Plus, of all the things in the world she would understand…"

Nathan nodded, distracted by his wife's expression.

"I need some ice for this hand," Luke looked at the bruises. "What about you?"

"Ice'd be good," he admitted.

"You two know where it is," Haley said sourly.

"Let Nathan or me carry him up, at least," Lucas cajoled.

She shook her head, holding Jamie's sleeping body near.

Lucas glanced at Nate. Then he went into the kitchen and got a bag of frozen peas for his knuckles and one of frozen corn for his brother. He dug up some Motrin, too. Popping a few, dawdling with the water, trying to give the couple a chance to talk.

Nathan kneeled down before Haley on the couch. "Come on," he urged. "I'll take him to our – _your_ – bed and you can sleep with him there. You need to rest, too, Hales."

Her face was still ashen, pinched with exhaustion. "All right," she gave in, softly.

As carefully as possible, Nathan slipped his arms under Jamie's tiny body and slowly carried him up to the master bedroom. Haley jogged ahead, pulling back the covers for her son and plumping one of the pillows.

Once he was tucked in, Nate pushed the hair gently off his son's forehead and kissed him. He shuddered, trying to imagine how terrified Jamie had been when Carrie had taken him. And when Dan, of all people, had burst in to save him.

_It should have been me. I should have saved him._

Haley slipped under the covers, leaving her Matron of Honor dress on. She reached out her arm, holding her son. Staring at him.

"Sweet dreams," Nate said, almost to himself.

Back downstairs, Luke tossed the bag of corn to his brother and then held out a tumbler of scotch. Nathan tossed it back with a single swallow, wincing as it went down.

"_How the hell_…"

"He must have been so scared, you know?" Nathan interrupted, looking at his brother with bloodshot eyes. "_I did this_. I led that bitch on somehow. I made her think…"

"No."

"I did. I should have shut her down. I should have kicked her out…"

"No."

"I should never have visited Dan, either. Never made him remember he'd ever had a grandson. I turned him into a stalker…"

"No."

"_I. Did. This._"

"No!" Luke reached out and grabbed Nathan close to his chest. "Listen to me, little brother – you did _NONE_ of this. _Do you hear me_? Carrie and Dan are sick fucks, and they were _long_ before tonight."

Nathan sobbed into his brother's shoulder, his hands clenched into fists.

"Listen to me, Nate. _Listen_. You are a good guy. A good man. You love that woman and that child up there more than words can say. Even my words. No one could ever doubt it. YOU should not doubt it!"

"_I did this_!" Nathan cried, heaving and feeling like he was gonna throw up.

Luke gripped his shoulders tightly and pushed him back so they could lock eyes. "NO! You did **not** do this. A _whacko_ did this. You are the _best father I have ever seen_. You would have laid down your life to save your son tonight, and you _did_ save your wife from falling off the edge. So turn off that tape in your head, man. It's _wrong_. It's the ghost of fucking Dan, and you've got to exorcize it. Because come tomorrow morning, they are going to need you, so bad. You know they will."

Nate nodded, and sucked in a few shallow breaths.

"They're safe. Jamie is _safe_. Haley is _safe_. Our family is here, and it's _over_, OK?" Luke let his hands drop from his brother's shoulders.

Nathan rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands and nodded again. A long minute ticked by as he got himself under control. Part of him kept chanting that somehow he'd made all this happen. But the raw look in his brother's eyes said it wasn't so.

"I just wish I could've gotten one more punch in," Luke said, refilling their glasses with the amber liquid.

"Absolutely," Nate heaved a long sigh. After a grim appraisal at the glass, he lifted it and swallowed down the contents while Luke did the same to his.

"So what's the plan, now?"

"Stick with my family 24/7 until I know what Dan is up to. Until that bitch is caught and jailed. I'm going to call the security company in the morning, double the protection and change all the codes."

"I already left them a message," Luke admitted. "In the meantime, I figured I'd sleep down here on the couch – just in case."

"All right," Nate dropped their glasses in the sink and ran cold water over them, and then splashed some on his face and wiped it dry with a paper towel. "I'm gonna take the spare room, upstairs."

"You all right, now?" Luke asked softly.

"No."

Lucas sighed. "Me, either." He held out his bruised hand, and Nate reached out his. They locked palms and pulled each other close for a long beat.

"He's safe," Luke reminded his brother. "Our family is safe, tonight."

"Yeah," Nate agreed, his heart heavy as he headed for the stairs.

_**The next Thursday **_

Nathan sat on the couch, and looked around the room.

She sat on the chair, clasped her hands in front of her.

"So, what now?" he asked.

"That's a question, isn't it?" she pondered.

"I'm just saying, _please_, Haley. Please don't ask me to leave. I can't do it. I can't leave you two. I'll live in the spare room, or on the couch, if that's what you want. I'll do anything," he begged.

"Should we get a tree?"

"Uh, what?"

"A Christmas tree. I know we usually wait until Christmas Eve, but maybe we can get one a little early this year."

"Well, if that's what you want," he nodded.

"I found a counselor."

Nathan struggled to keep up with her tangents. "For…us? Or…?"

"For us. We're, I don't know, in a tailspin. Jamie and you and I, we haven't been apart from each other since it happened. And I'm not sure if our marriage can be saved, Nathan," her eyes were shiny as they met his. "I'm not sure if I can ever forget the sight of you and Carrie…but when Jamie was abducted, you broke through all the terror and I realized – I have to _see_. We have to be sure, you know? And if nothing else, we have to talk about what happened. _All of it_. Carrie. Dan."

"OK, we'll see a counselor," he agreed immediately. "After everything that's happened, I mean, it's a great idea. Uh, in the meantime…could I…uh, I'd like to get my stuff back from Luke's. I mean, just to put in the spare room. Running back and forth is…."

"No," she chewed the inside of her cheek. "The counselor can see us tomorrow and we could sort of…maybe wait and see what happens there?"

"Fine," he nodded; easily surrendering to whatever made Haley comfortable. "What about…?"

"The appointment is while Jamie is in school. I think he should go back to school. We'll all go. We'll make sure about security. We'll explain."

"OK," he looked at her.

She looked at the wall.

"Uh, did I mention that my mom wants to know when to be here for Christmas…?"

"Not to stay," she shook her head.

"No problem, I'll call and let her know to be here for… what? Lunch?"

"You think she'd mind _bringing_ lunch?' Haley gave a tiny smile.

Nathan felt joy explode in his chest. It was the first time since Jamie had been taken that she'd shown even a microsecond of humor. "I'm sure she would have it catered by the best restaurants in Charlotte, if we said the word," he promised.

"It's going to be so strange without Luke," Haley said, almost to herself.

"He's been with Karen for Christmas before," he reminded her.

"Yeah, but that was across town – not out in the middle of the ocean somewhere. Not when… _when_…"

He wanted to reach out, but held his body back. "Haley, he's only…" he called softly.

"No," Haley cut him off, standing up quickly. "Don't offer me comfort, OK? Don't tell me he's only at the dock. Don't make it better. Don't look at me like that, or talk to me like that. Not yet. Not until…"

"I don't. I didn't," he protested, fumbling for the words.

"Just, don't," she held up her hands, as though forcing him to stop although he hadn't moved. "OK, I'm going to bed, now. School, counseling, tomorrow?"

"Yeah," he bit his lip from saying anything more. As she walked away, he swallowed against the headache he had from all the emotions roaring inside him.

He wanted to chase her, to pull her close. He had this fantasy, that he'd kiss her. And she'd look up at him with all the love she'd had for him when they were just 16 and she'd leap into his arms. Her face would glow; her hair would sift in the wind. Her hips would press against his, and he'd feel her pulse racing on her neck, under his fingertips.

She'd be his Haley again. The one who could read his looks. The one he could still feel, even across a crowded room. The one who would roll to him, instinctively. As though somehow they had some kind of connection that went beyond all kind of sense and reality. The growl he'd feel in his throat whenever he saw a guy step too close to her. The snap and pop in her eyes when she was turned on. That primal pull he felt from his heart and moving lower, about his girl. And she _was_ his, damn it.

And he'd be hers again, someday.

But this was real. This was now. With a grunt, he stood up and began prowling the house. Checking the locks on each window, the floodlights, the security on the doors.

_**The Wednesday after New Year's**_

"Do you know why I asked to see you alone?" the redhead asked, her lilting accent echoing.

Nathan shook his head.

"But you're here," the counselor noted.

"I'll do whatever it takes to get my family back."

"So you've said," Olivia acknowledged. "You've had quite a year."

"You could say that," Nate agreed.

"What was it like?"

"What was _what_ like?"

"Playing basketball, at that level."

"Ah, well," he rubbed his cheek in thought. "The thing was, I started playing basketball when I was a kid. The practices got harder – and longer. The crowds got bigger. The games got faster, more fun. The more I could do, the more I wanted to do – you know?"

"When did you realize you were good? Truly better than others who maybe worked just as hard, trained just as hard?"

"You know, the funny thing is that my dad always said I had that kind of talent. I mean, I can remember being like 8 or maybe 9 and having him point out that the other kids couldn't make the foul shots like I could, or couldn't guard the way I did. That they had to stop and look for the open man, instead of instinctually knowing. So I think, a little bit, I always assumed I was the best one on the court. My father said so, and I believed him. By the time I got to junior high school – it was sort of obvious."

"What kind of crowds did you play for, before your accident?"

"College? Maryland, the highest was about 21, 000 – usually 10 to 15, though."

"Bigger at the NBA level? Louder?"

"More expensive," Nathan chuckled. "Consistently around 20,000 in terms of the crowds. And just as loud, I think. I never really got a chance to know but the roar stays about the same at a certain point. Especially when you're working to block it out and do your job."

"Hmm," she nodded. "How about the people – did they see you differently off the court, being a basketball star?"

"I couldn't tell you what anyone else saw. I think I got away with more stuff, maybe, sometimes."

"What kind of stuff?"

"In high school it was pranks, stealing the team bus, drinking. By college, I had a family and under a lot of scrutiny because of the point shaving so it was more about getting extra help with classes, nothing really stupid."

"What about the women?"

"What women?"

"The ones who let you get away with stuff, because you were a basketball star."

"Which ones?" His forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"Hmm," she nodded. "Let's get at this another way. How old were you when you became sexually active?"

"Uh," Nathan cleared his throat, a little uncomfortable. "Freshman year. I was 14."

"To…?"

"Uh, Haley's sister, actually. I was drunk."

"So, not an ongoing relationship you were in?"

"No. Actually, I hadn't even really had a girlfriend yet."

"What about after that?"

"I dated some," Nathan agreed. "Mostly cheerleaders, girls who hung around the team."

"Monogamously?"

"Sort of."

"Could you explain that answer a bit?"

"The only other real girlfriend I had before Haley was a girl named Peyton. We got together sophomore year and we broke up a _lot_. When we did, we'd hook up with other people."

"She would, as well?"

Nathan met her eyes and shook his head. "Just me. I was the one who would hook up."

"And you'd get back together soon after?"

He nodded.

"Did she know about your other 'hook ups'?"

Nathan shrugged. "I wasn't a great guy back then," he confessed. "I kind of did my own thing, and didn't really talk about it much."

"Something we'll talk about back with your wife is where that boundary is for you two now. Everyone defines cheating just a little differently, it's a very personal process – and you both will need to work on it together."

"At this point, whatever Haley thinks – I'll back that up."

"But is that fair to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"What does entitlement mean to you?"

"Uh, I guess you're not talking college aid packages, right?"

She gave him a tolerant smile.

"OK, I guess, for me, it means expectation. What you think you'll get based on what you'll give."

"So, in the past, what has been your entitlement with other women?"

"None, since Haley."

The counselor waited.

Nathan took a deep breath. He'd committed himself to complete honesty, the way the counselor had asked up front. But sometimes, he didn't realize until he'd said something that he was lying. It was weird. He looked back at the counselor and tried again. "When I first got together with Haley, it was different. She…wasn't my usual type. She didn't play any games, she took everything really seriously, and I could tell she had her heart on the line from the very start. And that made me feel grateful, and more than a little scared. And just when it was kind of getting serious, I flirted with my ex-girlfriend. It was funny, because I called myself on it right away."

"You knew, in the moment?"

"Pretty close, yeah," Nathan thought a bit. "And I wanted to be better than that. I wanted to be the guy Haley saw, the guy I knew I could be to her. A good guy. I never wanted to be a good guy, never saw the upside. Until Haley."

"And then?"

"After she kissed Chris and went on the road with him…I tried to get back at her by being with her sister. I was mad and hurting yet I couldn't go through with it."

"Revenge?"

Nathan nodded. "The ultimate, but I loved Haley too much to burn the bridge – you know? Even then. There was a girl at the camp I went to that summer. We got to be pretty good friends. Maybe more, but nothing happened. And a girl who I knew crushed on me while Haley was pregnant…" Nathan looked up at the ceiling and rubbed his head.

"Is this something you would like to talk to someone about, separate of the work we're doing with Haley?"

"No," Nathan shook his head. "No, maybe I'm kidding myself but I haven't even _thought_ of being with another woman since Haley's accident 5 years ago. What happened with Carrie…"

"All right, we'll talk about that with Haley," she cocked her head and thought a second. "Some would say that you two married very quickly as well as very young."

"You know, over the years Haley and I have heard that. A lot, in fact. And it's almost always code for 'wow, are you guys _doomed'_."

"I'm making no such judgment; it was just an observation. I was thinking it was just one of the ways that you have put yourself outside the normal experience of things. And when a person really excels at something to the professional level – like sports, or music – there's a kind of psychological entitlement that builds up. Personal relationships in that kind of fishbowl are already very difficult to maintain, and very difficult to keep perspective on."

"You know, I saw that. At Maryland, the guys on the team were tight because we had to be – no one else _got it_, you know? And it was funny, most of us had these core people who stuck close and knew us, from back when." he rubbed his knees and remembered. "It helped make us _better_; kept our feet on the ground. Some guys, their parents would drop everything and come to every game and bring meals every week – even if they were driving 3, 4 hours each way. Me? I had Haley and Jamie. And my brother."

"So you're grateful to Haley?"

"I'm _in love_ with Haley," Nathan said emphatically. "And when I don't see that back from her…"

"We can talk about that, on Friday," Olivia reminded him. "A couple other things. Your health – are you fully recovered?"

"I'm 100 healthy," Nathan confirmed. "Just not professional sports healthy."

"No prescriptions, or…"

"No."

"Good."

"So…I'm all right?"

"Well, do _you_ think you're all right?"

"If you can help me put my family back together, I will be."

"Then keep showing up, and being honest, and we'll see how it goes."

"Thanks," Nathan looked down at his hands, at his wedding ring, and sighed.

_**The second Friday in January**_

"Sometimes, I find your goodness… staggering," he said, leaning in the doorway. "I didn't get a chance to tell you in the session, but your kindness is overwhelming."

She looked at her husband, at his face.

"Haley?" His hands were tucked deep in his pockets. "You saved my life."

_Those eyes. _

"And if I haven't said it lately, you're also sexy as hell."

As he turned to walk away, a spark of something flared to life in her belly. Like whiskey running through her veins. "Hey," she called him back. "I was thinking, um, that _not_ sleeping in this bed? Might not be so bad tonight if you wanted to try it with me."

It took less than a second for her meaning to reach his mind and he was already moving. Already reaching for her lips and her face.

As they kissed, he reached one arm around her waist and another to the mattress to steady their fall as they dropped back on the bed. Pushing. Moving. Not slowing; not pausing.

_Tasting_. The whiskey was stronger now, she was _flying_. He climbed between her legs, she reached to pull him closer. "You know that sexy talk?"

"About the, uh…kindness stuff? Or the sexy stuff?" he looked into her eyes and saw the heat and was instantly hard all over. With one hand, he began unbuttoning her blouse.

"The sexy," a tiny blush crept up her cheeks.

"You have a serious ass, Haley James," he said, smiling as she giggled and then pressing his lips into it, into her happiness. Her buttons undone, he grunted as he straightened. Just long enough to get his shirt off. She was already reaching out her arms for him as he dropped back onto her body. Twining her arms around him, closer.

He had her shirt open in moments. Skin to skin. Heart pressing against heart. And soon she was arching, and looking into his eyes. And after months, they were home again. Inside each other, until they could barely see. Until it felt so good that it ached, and then itched, and then exploded.

He panted, rolling to her side. Cradling her head on his arm. She reached up and knitted her fingers with his, and slipped a calf up and down his thigh.

"You're out of shape," she teased, turning her face to his.

He leaned his forehead in her hair and chuckled. "Give me about 60 seconds and I'll prove you wrong."

"You're on," she challenged, lifting her leg higher.

He pulled his head back a little and looked into her eyes. Saw something there he hadn't seen in a long time. It broke his heart open a little, and he exhaled with a tremor. "_God_, I love you," he confessed, his voice husky.

"I love you, too," she promised, turning to say it on his lips. To follow it with a kiss.

He rolled her on top of him, their eyes still locked as their bodies connected again. "Say it again," he begged, one hand in her hair and another stroking the small of her back where he knew his number was.

"I love you," she moved a little and they both gasped. And grinned. "I love you," she repeated, moving again.

He reached up, and took her mouth again. Kissing deeply, his tongue tasting the words that turned his world right. As their world twisted around again, in desire and movement and heat.

The soft blue sky was turning dark when they woke. "Oh," she rubbed her face, disoriented. "What time is it?"

He rolled on his side and peered at the clock. "After 5. What time is…"

"Seven, about. Although, I can't even imagine what Brooke is feeding him for dinner," she shook her head.

"It will be fine," he pulled her head to his chest. Felt her silky hair on his bare skin. Inhaled the smell of her. "I've missed this," he said. "I've missed _us_."

"Me, too," she admitted.

They fell quiet, until the jangle of the phone jostled them out of their doze. Haley grabbed one of his shirts out of the hamper as she reached to answer it, which made Nathan grin. It was one of those little things about her that he knew and no one else did – that she wouldn't answer the phone naked.

"It's Lucas," she told him, tucking the phone against her ear as she did up a couple of buttons.

He tugged on a pair of sweats and nodded. "Going down for a drink," he told her softly, kissing the top of Haley's head.

It took a good two pints of cold water before he felt quenched. Thoughtfully, he looked around the living room. Grabbing the lighter, he lit the candles on the mantle and the side table.

"What's this?" she asked, noticing as she came down a few minutes later.

"You like candles," he shrugged.

"I do," she got up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Luke is in a bad way. He was calling from the airport."

"Does he need a ride?"

"No," she shook her head. "He was already hailing a cab when we hung up. He says he'll come by tomorrow."

Nathan sat on the couch, and she curled up next to him. "Should I ask how it went?"

"He told me that her eyes said she was still in love with him but her words were –'I can never be with you again'."

Nate winced. "Ouch."

"Yeah," she rested her head on his shoulder and thought about it. "I feel so bad for him, and for Lindsey."

"You want them to be happy, we all do," Nathan said. "I want _you_ to be happy, too."

"At this moment? I _am_ happy," she assured him. Then Haley looked out at the pool and smirked. "Wanna swim naked?"

He laughed. "I do, actually," he kissed her jaw, feeling the softness of her skin against the slight roughness of his late-afternoon beard. "But, actually, right now I was thinking that I would like to hear you play. Would you, for me?"

"Now?" she glanced at the piano.

"C'mon, Haley," he caught her eye. "Olivia said we need to keep our own dreams alive."

"She did, didn't she?" Haley stood up and smoothed down the shirt. Spying a loose basketball next to the table, she tossed it to him.

He caught it with a crooked smile and she sat down behind the piano. Lifted the cover off the keys and tucked it back into its slot. Felt the cool of the brass pedals against her bare feet. Wrinkled her nose at him over the instrument.

"It's good though, right?"

He looked over at her, as she began to play a few aimless notes. "What?"

"That he's home, now."

"It's good," Nathan concurred, looking at his wife and marveling at everything she was. "It's good to be home."

She smiled back, watched him toss and catch the ball a few times, and let the music come out of her heart – and through her hands.


End file.
